


A Harbor in the Storm

by Melody_Jade



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, Missing Scene, Post 3x22
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-25
Updated: 2014-07-17
Packaged: 2018-01-26 10:47:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 41,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1685579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Melody_Jade/pseuds/Melody_Jade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary: There's still a long road ahead for Regina, but this time, she doesn't have to walk it alone. A support network of friends and family grows around her as she tries to navigate the loss of Robin and her path of redemption. Regina & friendships, eventual Regina/Robin. Spoilers for season 3 finale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the events of 3x13 (Witch Hunt), Jefferson and Regina talk. (Implied past Jefferson/Regina)

It had been a long day. The entire past week had already been stressful, with the Charmings pestering her for answers about why they're still in Storybrooke but missing part of their memories, while the rest of the town gave her suspicious looks. All these culminated in a fake showdown with Emma at the town hall today where the townfolks once again casted her in the role of a villain.

That wasn't the worst part though. This morning, she had walked into Granny's to order her usual cup of coffee, turned around and had her whole world turned outside down.

Henry - her beloved son whom she thought she said goodbye with forever - was sitting in the booth right in front of her, close enough to touch, to hug. She felt that one moment of incandescent joy, before seeing that even though he was right there, he looked right through her, no hint of recognition or any emotion in those expressive eyes.

Henry didn't remember her.

* * *

Up till then, the missing year had mostly been abstract in Regina's mind. To her, nothing much had changed, except for Mary Margaret suddenly gaining a swollen belly. But, seeing her little prince grown so much taller, his once cherubic features changing to the lean ones of a teenager, and his deepened voice (oh his voice!) - made her realize exactly just what she had lost.

After the meeting outside the Charmings' loft, she went straight home. Emma tried to get her to stay for a while longer, but she couldn't handle it, couldn't bear to be with a Henry that didn't remember her, who clearly felt awkward in her presence and who gave her an impersonal handshake as though she was a distant stranger.

Which she was, now.

Curling up on her couch in the living room, with a bottle of wine, she opened one of many photo albums, all chronicling the precious moments in Henry's childhood, and finally let the tears fall as she reminisced about beautiful memories that now - only she could remember.

A loud pounding at the door jarred her from her memories. Fearing something - another flying monkey perhaps - might have endangered Henry, she rushed to the door and opened it.

It wasn't Emma, or the Charmings, or even Hook who stood outside though. It was Jefferson.

Hurriedly putting on the 'Evil Queen' mask, she pasted a sneer on her lips. "Jefferson. What an unpleasant surprise."

Without even waiting for an invitation, he shouldered his way in and helped himself to the wine on her table, drinking straight from the bottle. "Mmm," he said in appreciation. "Good wine."

"What are you doing here?" She bit out.

He smirked at her. "So, Grace told me quite the story just now. She said that she saw Henry in town. But before she could go say hi, Emma drew her aside and told her Henry still doesn't remember Storybrooke and any of us."

She ignored the stab of pain at the reminder that Heny didn't remember her. With Jefferson, she needed all her wits. "So? Are you here to gloat then? Boring."

He chuckled darkly. "You have to admit that there's a certain sense of poetic justice to this. For 28 years you had my daughter forget me while I remembered, and for more years before that you separated me from her. How does it feel from the other side now, Madam Mayor?"

"Get out." She conjured a fall of fire in her palm. "Or I swear, you will be toast."

* * *

He gazed at her, and in that one moment he could see all the different facets of her, and their long history together. The heartbroken young girl wanting to see her lost love again, and her descent into darkness after that hope was extinguished in her. Their encounters over the year. Realizing her madness was dragging him down too, and leaving her service and company, even though it hurt him to. Settling down, having Grace, but then losing her mother, leaving him to raise his daughter alone. One final job for her, to give Grace a better life, but then she betrayed him. And then waking up at Storybrooke with retained memories, her tormenting him with a life so near and yet so far from his daughter.

There was so much that was left unsaid between them, so much he never quite understood.

"Why," and it was a harsh whisper, torn out of his very soul. "Why did you have me keep both sets of memories."

She rolled her eyes. "We've been through this. Now get out."

He stepped toward her, glaring. "No this conversation isn't finished. Why do this to me? Leave me in Wonderland separating me from my daughter, then reunite me with her but have her not remember me! What have I ever done to deserve this from you?!" He finished in a near shout, hands clenched trying to resist the urge to grip and shake her.

She smiled, no smirked really. Leaning closer to him, allowing her finger to trail down his chest, she whispered cruelly. "Because I could."

"That's not a reason. You know what, forget this. I don't even know why I am here." Snorting in disgust, he turned around to leave.

He was just about to step out of the threshold of the door when she suddenly spoke again. "For what it's worth, I am sorry. Knowing that your child is right there beside you, but unable to even hug them, to tell them that you love them and that you are so proud of them. There is nothing worse than that. I know that now. I guess this is my penance. You've gotten your revenge at last. You should be happy."

Stopping at the door, he closed his eyes briefly. "No parent will ever want that for another parent. Not even for someone as twisted as you, Regina."

Turning back to look at her again, he noticed the unshed tears in her eyes, refusing to spill, to allow that one weakness before him. Again, he remembered that young girl so long ago, whom he once gave hope that she could have her happy ending again. Together with Victor and Rumpelstiltskin, they had put on a show to extinguish that hope.

How could he not offer hope right now? He had his own penance to pay.

"All curses are meant to be broken, Regina. Henry will remember one day."

She shook her head, a traitorous tear trailing down her cheek.

"You know one more thing? After I finally reunited with Grace, after your curse broke, she was so happy. But later on, after the euphoria passed, she asked me why I never came to her for so long, when I was living practically just next door. My distance to her deprived us of new memories we could have had, even with her not remembering. Don't make the same mistake I did."

She gasped, a quiet broken sound. "It hurts so much to be with him now."

"Every moment with our children is sacred, Regina. Henry loves you, even if he doesn't remember right now. He deserves to have you in his life. Don't deprive him that."

She was silent, not knowing what to say to that.

He knew he had probably outstayed his welcome a long time ago. Turning once more to leave, he stepped back out into the night, and closed the door softly behind him.

* * *

The next day, as he spent time with Grace in the park feeding the ducks, he saw Regina walking by with Henry, the two of them deep in conversation. Regina raised her eyes to meet him, and a brief moment of understanding passed between them before her gaze turned back toward her son again, and his toward Grace.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regina and Archie have a conversation as Regina sorts through her thoughts regarding Robin. Coda to episode 3x16.

The streets were deserted as Regina walked back home from the woods, a far cry from earlier tonight when it seemed like half the town had showed up to watch her showdown with her half sister. Watched her complete and utter humiliation. Thankfully she had the foresight to remove her heart before heading to the battle or everything would have been lost.

Tired and spent, she knew it would make more sense to just teleport herself back home, but despite her heart not currently beating in her chest, there was still a maelstrom of thoughts and emotions swirling inside her tonight, and she needed to clear her head. The thoughts were not about Zelena and what she might want with Regina's heart though, but rather, about a certain blue-eyed tattooed thief.

She hadn't expected to find him watching over the spot where she buried her heart when she returned to the woods. She certainly hadn't asked him to stand guard over her heart, and yet, there he was.

After Robin Hood had gotten her to open up about the letter earlier in the afternoon, (another first for her - since when had she allowed someone to come so close so quickly?) they had sat in silence for a long time, together. He had offered no meaningless platitudes nor left her to her own despair, instead staying by her side, a constant supportive presence, as she considered her options.

Realizing she had no choice but to face the fight, she had taken out her heart so that Zelena wouldn't be able to crush it when she won. He had been shocked, of course, but her thoughts had then been on the impending battle and after burying her heart, she had teleported off with just a terse "Do not tell anyone about this". She thought he would have left after, went back to his camp and his child, where dinner and a warm fire awaited.

Instead, he had remained there for hours in the cold, not even setting up a fire so as not to attract any attention, to keep watch on her dark tainted heart. She didn't even know if he had eaten since the afternoon or had he just remained here standing guard from the time she left. He had done this, willingly, without any prompting, for a stranger he had met just mere days before, and the Evil Queen to boot.

Her heart had glowed red as he cradled it in his palm, the lion tattoo which prophesized him as her soulmate on full display. In that split second, Regina made a decision, and entrusted her heart into his keeping.

Even though her mind was telling her how completely illogical that move was. Deep down in her soul, she knew, though, that there was no other place or person she could keep her heart with.

* * *

Deep in her thoughts, she was drawn from her musings when she suddenly heard the barking of a dog. Drawing closer she was surprised to see Archie waiting under a streetlight next to her mansion, with an umbrella in his hand and his faithful companion Pongo beside him, who was currently barking happily and straining at his leash to get to Regina.

Archie saw her and hurried over to her. "Regina! I saw what happened at Main Street. Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Maybe you should go to the hospital for a checkup."

She was touched, somewhat. Archie was the first person who had thought to ask.

Bending down to scratch Pongo behind his ears, she answered, "Nothing that can't be easily healed. I have magic, remember?"

He nodded his head. "Good, good. I was worried." He hung around still though, shuffling his feet, an uncertain look on his face.

Regina disliked indecision, and with any other person, she would probably have snapped at them to just say what they had come to say and then leave. This was Archie though, who believed that she could change, who offered his help and a listening ear, who never gave up on her, and who was afterwards captured and interrogated by her mother for being her confidante.

She sighed. "You clearly have something more to say, and it's been a long day and I am cold and tired. So why don't you just come on in and we can talk in a more comfortable setting."

Not waiting for his reply, she turned around and opened her front gate, walking through the garden and unlocking her door quickly. Archie followed meekly behind while Pongo bounded excitedly beside him.

After getting the fire going and pouring herself some wine (not whisky – that would lead her mind down dangerous paths in the woods), she turned back to him, indicating with her hand that he could help himself to her wine too. He declined, eyes darting around.

The photo albums still lay on the coffee table, and she knew he saw them when his eyes snapped back to her, a silent question which she obligingly answered.

"I have spent time with him. It's been… difficult. But any moment spent with him, memories there or not, is still precious to me and I treasure it all."

"I know how difficult it must be for you, Regina. It's good that you're facing it."

"I almost didn't. If not for Jefferson, of all people, I might have just not get to know Henry at all."

He nodded slowly, an eyebrow raised at the implication that she spoke to Jefferson. She had spoken a little of Jefferson during their therapy sessions and he knew how complicated their history was. "Jefferson would understand, yes."

Uncomfortable with the direction this converstion was heading, she brought it back to its original purpose. "So Dr. Hooper, out with it. What do you want to talk to me about?" She softened the harsh words by conjuring a doggie treat for Pongo, who lapped it up with delight and whined for more.

"I came here because I must apologize to you." Archie blurted out.

Now that, she wasn't expecting. Confused, she asked, "What for?"

"I doubted you. At the town hall meeting a few days too. When I should have known you better than that."

"Oh." Truth be told, Regina had been hurt that the town had so quickly believed her to be the one responsible for the new curse. No matter what she did, even if she saved the town, she was still viewed as the Evil Queen. She didn't realize how much Archie's opinion had mattered but his apology went some way into soothing her hurt.

"Well, you all thought I'm the only dark magic user now that Mr. Gold is dead, I'm not surprised everyone thought it was me. Who would have thought my mother had another daughter who she abandoned and who is out to destroy me now because she's jealous?"

Try as she might, she couldn't quite hide the bitterness in her tone.

Archie nodded in understanding. "It is a lot to take in. You must be feeling like this is yet another betrayal from Cora. Regina, if you want to talk about this, you know my door is always open."

She sighed. "I'm not about to talk about this whole mess again a second time today."

"You talked about this already? It can't be with Jefferson. But who else will you speak to? Of course, not that I think you have nobody to speak to, I'm just shocked that.. I mean. Uh…" He trailed off at her glare.

"You think I don't have anyone else to talk to but a cricket therapist?"

"You know I don't mean that. I'm glad you have a friend to talk to, Regina. And as I said, you can always speak to me. I promise this time it will be confidential."

She wasn't quite as alone now as she was then, when the first curse broke and her therapy sessions with Archie first began. Now she had the Charmings, as crazy as it sounded, and even crazier, Robin Hood. Her soulmate. She snorted in disbelief at the thought, because what were the odds that the Evil Queen's soulmate was the legendary Prince of Thieves, hero of the common people and as much a symbol of good as hers was of evil?

"Regina…?"

She had forgotten that Archie was still around.

"Is there something else bothering you, Regina?"

She was just about to deny it, but then she hesitated. It might be nice to talk through some things with Archie, he had always been non-judgmental and he did say his door was open, didn't he?

Pouring herself more wine, she drank a little more. "Do you remember after.. Daniel, after Whale brought him back and I had to use magic on him, I came to you. I told you something that day. Something I have never told anyone else. About.. Tinkerbell and fairy dust and a second chance."

"Yes, the man with the lion tattoo, your soulmate. Regina, why are you suddenly talking about this? Wait. You don't mean that…"

"He… He's here. The second curse brought him over too. I've… met him."

Archie took a while to digest this information. "Was he the one you were talking to about Cora and Zelena just now?"

She nodded her head, unable to speak.

"Regina, this is great news! That you've found him again, after everything."

"I don't know what to do about him! It's been so long, it's too late for me."

"It's not too late, Regina. Not too late to grab your own happiness."

"Isn't it?" She whispered, clutching at her wine glass. "I'm the Evil Queen. I've done so many terrible things, I'm no longer that girl who was once his soulmate, that girl is long gone."

"But you're no longer evil and you haven't been for a while. And now you can be happy again. Don't run away from this."

"Tinkerbell said the same thing." She shook her head. "Maybe after this whole mess with my sister is resolved."

"Regina…."

"It's been a long day, Dr. Hooper, and I'm really tired. I think I should rest now."

He clearly wanted to say more but knew that she wouldn't be receptive to it now. Nodding, he called out to Pongo and headed to the door. "Well, I won't disturb you anymore then. But Regina, I mean what I said. My door is always open for you. Both as a therapist and as a… a friend."

Friend. That word sounded so foreign to her. But she knew she had to start letting people in.

"Thank you for your offer, I might just take you up on it. Goodnight… Archie."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Regina's perfect day. (Covers 3x19 and 3x20)

Regina was quite certain that there was a huge smile on her face, as she stood in her kitchen preparing a breakfast fit for the gods while waiting for Robin to arrive.

Archie's advice had been swirling around in her head for the past few days, and yesterday, Mary Margaret's words of encouragement had spurred her on into taking a leap of faith. She had gone into the woods, somehow knowing exactly where to find Robin, and had pulled him in for a kiss. She felt his shock even as he started kissing her back, and stepping away, she had searched his stunned eyes, bracing herself for any rejection that might come her way.

It turned out she didn't have to worry at all. Robin had dived right back in, hungrily devouring her mouth while his arms came up around her in a tight grip as she stumbled from the force of his ardor, her knees growing weak and hands clutching at him.

She couldn't tell for how long they stood there, bodies entwined and lips fused. Eventually, they had to part for air, and breathless and panting, they had stared at each other. Unable to help himself, Robin had kissed her again, nipping her lips playfully, before resting his forehead against her, fingers carding through her hair gently. They had talked long into the night afterwards, sitting beside the fire and stealing kisses every minute or so, and she couldn't remember the last time she had been so happy.

They had to part with each other as the night grew late though, but not before she had invited him to her house for breakfast the next day. He had joyfully agreed, and before she could give directions to her place, he had interjected that he knew where it was. Puzzled, she had questioned just how he knew the location despite never been there, and the most sheepish expression had come across his suddenly bright red face and she couldn't help but laugh and kiss him again.

She woke up this morning feeling indescribable hope, certain that this latest crisis will pass, and even her heart in Zelena's hands could not dampen her joy.

Hearing a knock on the door, she once again surveyed the spread on the table, making sure everything was perfect, before straightening her clothes and opening the door to let him in, trying to tone down her smile but knowing that it was futile. And really, why shouldn't she smile when he had a similar huge grin lighting up his features, giving him an almost boyish look?

Looking up at him from beneath her eyelashes, she greeted him while tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and oh god, she had just turned into a teenager toying with her hair on the first date.

He stepped inside, shutting the door, and immediately pulled her into his arms, fusing their lips together, telling her how much he missed her even if it was mere hours from their last parting. Sighing in pleasure, she wrapped her arms around him as she lost herself in his kisses.

They took a ridiculously long time to finish breakfast that morning.

* * *

Afterward, he escorted her to Granny's, where she was due for a meeting with the Charmings over the Zelena problem. She had initially been worried, telling him that he didn't have to walk with her, that she would understand if he would prefer not to be seen together with her. He had kissed away the doubt in her eyes, declaring that he wasn't ashamed of anything, especially not of her, because why would he be ashamed that the most stunning woman he had ever met was in his arms?

And so they had walked through town, hand in hand, stealing kisses at every intersection, completely ignoring the stares and whispers that followed in their wake. She even caught a glimpse of Jefferson across the street, who did a double take and gaped at them a little, and she smiled widely at the Hatter, grin as wide as the Cheshire cat. Jefferson stumbled a little, before recovering himself, quirking an eyebrow at her and raising his fist in a toast to her.

Long live the Queen, she thought, and believed herself invincible right there and then.

She was extremely late for the meeting already, but couldn't quite bring herself to care, as outside the rooms at Granny's, Robin once again pulled her flush against his body and brought their lips together, saying just one more kiss, to tide them both over the day.

Henry, of course, with his impeccable timing, caught her making up with Robin like a besotted teenager, in what felt like a reversal of roles, and it was like a splash of cold water, when she realized she might have already missed his first crush and kiss, and heard the words Madam Mayor, such an impersonal address, falling from that unfamiliar but still beloved deepened voice. But Robin, with his infinitely understanding eyes and calloused yet gentle hands, prevented her from pulling away into her dark thoughts and kissed her frown away, unwilling to let her leave him without a smile, and gladly, she obliged him.

Such happiness was completely foreign to her, and if they could find a way for Henry to regain his memory too, she would want for nothing else in this life.

* * *

It seemed like it might be the day for granting all her wishes, as the day continued on, perfect, almost as if she had imbibed a potion of liquid luck. Mary Margaret found the Storybook that started everything, and Henry's memories returned the moment he touched it. His eyes, now full of recognition and love, landed on her immediately and they embraced in a crushing hug. Like the spoilsport that she is, Zelena appeared and knocked her unconscious, but Emma's magic saved the day and when Regina came to, it was to her son's chant of "Mom, Mom" and his worried visage, and she couldn't help it, she scrambled to her feet and embraced him one more time, and she kissed his forehead as she told him how much she loved him.

The shockwave that radiated out from them was powerful and incredible, and an entire year's worth of memories washed over her as her mouth opened in amazement that it was her, (her!) that broke the curse. She who had the darkest of hearts, who cast the darkest of curses, and yet she broke a curse with the purest form of love.

She left with Henry, leaving Emma to sort out the mess with Hook and the deal he made with her sister, uncaring, as her Henry is now back and they had an entire year worth of memories to tell each other about. Her son is a stubborn young man with a mission though, and as she cradled his face in her hands, memorizing every inch and every change, he looked up at her with an expression that was half teasing and half elated, and asked about the man she was kissing that morning.

Robin, she told him, and let the silence draw itself out before adding, Hood, and watched the play of emotions on her son's face, and thanked every deity, every god, that his face is still an open book to her. The man himself then entered the building, as though summoned straight from her thoughts, and she knew everything would be alright when Henry's face morphed from one of stunned disbelief to amazed delight, and she cherished the look of undeniable hero worship in her son's eyes as he shook hands with the legendary Robin Hood.

Robin's eyes met hers over the head of her son, and she knew he was thinking of the past year too. Of gentle overtures denied with harsh words, barely-contained attraction concealed with arguments, and yet his steadfast presence always remained, despite everything she threw at him, and she was half afraid of his reaction as she broached the topic of the missing year. He just smiled at her though, a perfect smile, and together with Henry, they walked out of the building together, arms wrapped around enough other, a united front.

Later, Henry left with Emma to visit his father's grave, and her chest, though empty, ached for her hurting, grieving son. Spying her worried frown, Henry tried for a smile, and when that didn't work he hugged her tightly, telling her he would be fine. Robin stepped up beside her, grasping her hand in silent support, and Henry's smile grew genuine as he looked at their joined hands. Emma's face, on the other hand, was a study in complete bewilderment, and she savored that look, standing tall as she squeezed Robin's hands, letting their closeness speak for itself.

Mary Margaret and David weren't surprised at all, in fact, they looked completely smug as they whispered to each other, and she was pretty certain she caught references to pigtail pulling and bickering like an old married couple, and if she wasn't quite so happy she would have turned them both to frogs.

She nearly did it anyway when Mary Margaret winked at her and asked if she enjoyed the smell of forest now, and only that tiny life that continued to grow in her belly saved that infuriating woman's life.

Now she and Robin were left alone, and the first thing he did was to sweep her up in a scorching kiss, no longer the exploratory kisses of the newly acquainted, but with the passion and fire of their yearlong foreplay. In between kisses he confessed how much she had driven him mad over that year, how he would be arguing with her one second and in the next breath wanted with his entire being to kiss her. Now he could kiss and touch her whenever he wanted, and he's certainly not letting any opportunity go.

She tried to apologize for her behavior then, to explain why she pushed him away, but was silenced by gentle kisses. Robin told her he understood, that nothing else mattered but that eventually, they did find their way to each other. And now her son is returned to her too, and he couldn't be happier for her, he who had witnessed her darkest moments as she prepared to curse herself, and since then yearned to give her all the happiness she continually denied herself from.

* * *

Things couldn't keep going well though, not in Storybrooke, and the Charmings' baby decided to enter the world today, nevermind that he/she was the last ingredient for Zelena's spell, and they really could use more time to prepare. Together with Emma's magic, they prepared to turn the hospital into a fortress. She was confident their shields would hold, but it failed when Emma, that idiot, somehow lost her magic and the baby was taken and everything seemed lost.

Henry though, her little prince, told her he believed that she can wield light magic too, and in his one simple comment, hope was rekindled in everybody's eyes. She wasn't sure if she could live up to it, not even with Henry and Robin's steadfast faith in her. Before she could express more doubts, a crash sounded behind her and Mary Margaret was stumbling out, legs weak from the birth and energy spent, but needing her child to be safe, and willing to do everything for him even if it meant her collapse.

David reached her before she fell completely to the ground, and carried her back to the bed, but Mary Margaret was screaming and crying and it was the most horrible thing she ever saw as they both clung desperately to each other, sitting on the bed.

David's pleading eyes begged with her to help, and she stepped closer, not sure what to do. The decision was taken out of her hands, as Mary Margaret reached out to her, gripping her shoulder even as she leaned on David for support. She had heard everything, she knew Regina was their last hope, and she had faith, she believed that Regina can wield light magic, and in that one moment, Regina was transported back to that terrible night not long ago when they enacted the dark curse together, and Snow's desperate words and expression as she begged Regina to rip out her heart and split it in half, so that her Prince Charming might live.

A similar desperation was in Mary Margaret's face now, and the same blind faith she put in Regina, despite everything that had happened between them. She gripped Mary Margaret's hands tightly between them and swore on everything that she would bring the child back, and as the fanatical light in her stepdaughter's faded away, she slowly lowered the exhausted woman to bed, hands still held tightly between them. She whispered a spell and sleep slowly took hold, and David breathed in relief, pressing loving lips to his wife's forehead.

Archie, who was in the periphery, and she hadn't even thanked him for taking care of Henry just now, promised to watch over Mary Margaret and Henry as they fought for their continued future. His eyes darted quickly to Robin who stood beside her, and when Archie looked back at her she nodded once, answering his silent query. She was surprised when he pulled her into a quick hug, words of encouragement and approval spilling from his lips, but that was what friends do, wasn't it? Henry hugged her too, before solemnly instructing Robin to please take care of her, and there was fierce determination in Robin's eyes as he swore to do just that.

* * *

Wielding light magic wasn't quite as easy as Henry thought, and for a moment, she was struck with despair and the old fear that she would never be good enough. But then she thought of Henry and Mary Margaret, waiting back in the hospital with blind faith that she would be their salvation. She thought of Robin, who always got her back, even when she was pushing him away, who even now, sneaked up fearlessly to Zelena's back to retrieve her heart, as he promised her he would. Of David, who had grown on her much like a fungus, of Emma and how far they had come from that first night when she had brought a runaway Henry back to Storybrooke. Of everyone in this town whose happy ending she had once tried to take, Belle and Archie and Jefferson and Tinkerbell and even Graham, long turned to dust by her hand.

She had progressed much since then, had tried and continued to make amends for her past, and she would be damned if she let her sister take her redemption and family away from her.

Power built up in her hands, an indescribable feeling of lightness, and she knew she had won.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The infamous diner scene of 3x22.

The Wicked Witch of the West had been defeated by the Regina's light magic, her time travel spell averted with Emma and the pirate's safe return, and the entire town was in a joyous mood. Everybody was out tonight, packed into diners and restaurants and bars, celebrating with their loved ones.

Jefferson sat in one of the window booths at Granny's with Grace and her other parents, their little unit of four just one of the many families enjoying the festivities at Storybrooke's most popular diner. After Regina's first curse broke and his reunion with Grace, things had been difficult and awkward at first between him and her Storybrooke parents. Carl and Ellie loved Grace (or Paige, as she was known then) dearly, and even the return of their Enchanted Forest memories and the knowledge that she was not biologically theirs, didn't dim their love for her at all, nor hers for them. For Grace's sake, he had to learn how to share her with other people, no matter how much it killed him inside. Thankfully Carl and Ellie were good people, and they went out of their way to include and accommodate him. Over time boundaries and lines had been increasingly blurred and he now counted Carl and Ellie as part of his family, and joint dinners together were now common events.

A child's laughter drew him from his thoughts and he looked out the window as a little boy, an ice cream cone in his hand, came careening up the path to the front door. Over at the gate, Regina and her new man were locked in a passionate embrace, before breaking apart to join the young child at the door. They entered the diner together, the smile on Regina's face stunning to behold. She reined it in somewhat as their eyes met across the room, and like that time when he first saw them together, he raised his glass in a toast. She acknowledged it with a nod, before turning back to the boy and man she came in with. Jefferson turned back to his daughter, listening intently to her as she told them an animated story about her friends and pranks they were already planning now that the crisis was over.

So engrossed was he in the conversation with his family that it took him a while to notice the growing tension in the room. When he did, he looked toward the centre of the diner and surveyed the tableau before him. Regina's new flame was locked in a tight embrace with his child and a woman he had never seen before but dressed in the clothes of the Enchanted Forest, while Regina was in a standoff with Emma, glaring daggers at her as Emma's mouth gaped in shock and apprehension.

Brows furrowed, Jefferson stood up to get closer to the situation, confused as to what was going on. One moment before, Regina had been happier than he had ever seen her, yet right now she was radiating such animosity at Emma that he was surprised Emma didn't choke from it. Power was building up in the room, manifesting itself almost like static electricity, making his hair stand on end, and he could almost feel the maelstrom of emotions that was being kept barely contained in Regina's small frame. It wasn't just anger, he realized, it was betrayal and grief that Regina felt right then too.

Emma was pleading with Regina, trying to ward off the approaching storm. "I swear, I didn't do this to hurt you, I really didn't know. I just wanted to save her, she was going to die! I just…" She waved her hands in an ineffectual motion.

"Save. Your. Breath." The words all but dripped ice and the sheer contempt in Regina's voice brought the entire diner into a standstill, as everyone's eyes laid riveted to the scene before them.

"Mom?" Henry, who had twisted around in his seat, asked tentatively. "Is everything ok?"

Henry hadn't quite specified which one of them he was asking, and both replied."Everything is fine Henry, don't worry about it, we're just talking." "Of course everything's alright for you, Ms. Swan, you're not the one who had just been screwed over once again by your. Cursed. Family." And then Regina laughed, a shrill broken sound.

The sound of it drew the man from his embrace and he turned around sharply, conflicted eyes seeking Regina out, even as the long haired woman shrank back into his arms, clearly afraid of Regina as she whispered to him, "That's the Evil Queen, Robin! Why is no one doing anything?!"

The man – Robin – jerked at the Evil Queen moniker, hurriedly soothing her. "No, Marian, don't call her that. She's not that anymore. She's changed."

Changed she definitely had, that they were all here celebrating Zelena's defeat is proof of that, but the broken look on Regina's face was frightening to behold, and it did nothing to help assuage Marian's fear. "How can you say that? Just a day ago I was in her dungeons and she was going to have me executed! If Lady Leia, I mean, Lady Emma hadn't rescued me and taken me here, I would never have seen you and my baby ever again!"

The man tensed, growing completely still at her words. "What? Marian, what are you saying?" His words, though whispered, struck Regina like a blow in the face and her expression completely changed, grief stricken for a brief instant before her features were carefully rearranged to a blank mask of no emotion at all.

Jefferson felt dawning comprehension at what had just happened. Two years ago he might have been a gloating spectator at seeing Regina so devastated, but his own happy ending had mellowed Jefferson, and he felt nothing but sorrow for what Regina might have just lost. Looking at the horror on the Charmings' faces, he knew that they too, had begun grasping the enormity of just what Emma's well meaning actions had caused.

Regina's current (maybe not anymore?) beau had a deceased wife who, without his knowledge, had been sentenced to death by Regina in the past, and perhaps this did happen and she died at Regina's hands, or perhaps she escaped and died by other means later. Without interference it might have remained just that – an untold story, an unsolved mystery, forever buried in another time and realm. Emma's journey to the past changed everything though, and now past and present met head on in a collision that will forever change the future. This wasn't just Regina's past deeds come back to haunt her, it was her watching her hope of happiness evaporate once more in front of her. That it was by Emma's hands made it so much worse, them who had come so far together, and he understood now the betrayal that had been painted across Regina's face just now.

Regina held herself taut, a tightly coiled spring, just waiting for the slightest provocation to lash out. And lash out she would. He had known her a long time, those years in the Enchanted Forest before he left her service and before Wonderland happened, and later at Storybrooke as he spied on her, waiting for her to make a mistake and for the curse to break. Jefferson knew her defense mechanisms, how she hid her vulnerable side with barbed words and destructive actions. What followed next wasn't going to be pretty at all.

There was a scornful sneer on Regina's face as she countered Marian's accusations. "Did I? Well, I'm sorry dear, I'm sure it's nothing personal. I've executed so many, you probably just annoyed me by being in my way one day. You would excuse me if I don't remember your face, it's not a particularly memorable one."

Her hands, clenched at her sides, were trembling just slightly and he knew she was fighting to keep in control, to live up to her redemption and not do anything more than pointed words. "Now, if you would excuse me, I have better things to do with my time than talk to peasants at some dingy diner." Head held high, she turned around to leave before her control slipped further.

"Regina, wait," Robin finally called out, worried eyes tracking her every step, and he made a move as though to reach out to her, but then his eyes turned back to Marian beside him, and he stilled for one moment. The hopelessness in Regina's face had cleared a little when he first moved, but in Robin's split moment of indecision, a terrible knowledge passed through Regina's face, the likes of which Jefferson had only seen once before, when they had told her that Daniel's resurrection failed and he was lost to her forever.

Robin saw the same expression on her face too, and his own face fell, and Jefferson wondered at how serious things were between them, if he could read Regina just as well as Jefferson could but only after decades of history. Realizing the gravity of the situation, Robin moved quickly to disengage from Marian and took a step forward to Regina.

But it was futile. Regina had seen his hesitation and come to her own conclusions, and with a splay of her palm, she froze Robin's feet to the ground and he could not take a single more step.

"Robin! What have she done to you!" Marian gasped in horror beside him.

Robin struggled ineffectually against the invisible bonds holding him locked to the ground, blue eyes wide and pleading at Regina. "Regina, wait, please, listen to me, we have to talk about this."

There were tears, actual tears, falling down Regina's cheeks and Jefferson knew her pride, he knew just how much she must hate that people were seeing her weak now, how close she was to breaking down right there and then, and he knew nobody with any sense should keep her from leaving.

Emma though, was never one to analyze an emotionally-fraught situation like this. "Regina!" She implored, moving to grab her arm, and this time, when Regina raised her arm, Emma was thrown back against the wall.

Gasps of fear rippled through the diner.

Regina surveyed the room as people cowered from her, and really, did the curse break something in everybody's brains that they so easily forgot that just yesterday, this same woman had wielded light magic to stop the Wicked Witch? There was a manic look in her eyes, and she commanded in a voice that was just a hair breath from freezing air. "Let this be a warning. I will lay waste to the next person who dares come after me. Heed my words." She then disappeared in her trademark purple smoke, leaving a stunned silence behind.

It didn't last long though, and before long the room erupted into pure chaos, as everybody started shouting at once, as the pirate (Hook?) helped Emma back to his feet and a hysterical Marian clung to Robin, still stuck in the same spot and a look that was utterly lost on his face. David took charge, trying to calm everyone down, reassuring people that Regina wasn't about to go start ripping hearts out of people again.

Ripping her own heart out, though, Jefferson thought, would be quite likely.

"How can you trust that she won't go back down a dark path?" One of the dwarves (Jefferson had never bothered to learn their names) scoffed at David, "She's the Evil Queen. She's always going to be the Evil Queen."

Regina, had she been in a better mood, and still here, would be rather gratified to hear the swift denials this statement provoked in her son, the Charming family, Robin, and a few others like Granny and Jefferson himself, who wasn't even aware he spoke until Whale snorted in derision. "You trust her? Are you kidding me? She stranded you at Wonderland and then tortured you with two sets of memories for 28 years."

That started off a new round of shouting, as people started airing grievances that the Evil Queen had done to them, and in the resulting melee, Henry started sneaking inch by inch to the exit. Halfway toward his goal, Jefferson spotted him. Henry jutted his chin out with a stubborn expression on his face that could have only come from Regina, and so Jefferson only nodded his head once at him, before moving to block everyone's view of Henry as he made a dash for the door and to his hurting mother.

He could only hope that Henry was enough to offer Regina some comfort, because this discussion was going to take a while.

* * *

Archie was completely unaware of the drama that was unfolding over at Granny's. Whistling, he ambled down the street, in a good mood after officiating the wedding of Mr. Gold and Belle. He was a human once again instead of a cricket, the latest threat had been neutralized, and Regina was making giant strides toward redemption and happiness, and life couldn't be better in his opinion.

A whirlwind suddenly knocked into him, almost sending him off-balance, and after catching his breath, he turned shocked eyes to see that the whirlwind was actually Henry, whose hazel eyes were wide and frantic. Bouncing restlessly on his feet, he let out a breathless "sorry, Dr. Hopper, I didn't see you. I've got to go, I'll talk to you later," before he took off running down the street again.

Grabbing his arm, Archie stopped him. "Henry, wait! What's the matter?"

Whatever it was that Henry was hurrying to, he clearly thought it urgent, and he spoke in rapid fire as he pulled Archie down the street, not a moment more to lose. Archie didn't catch everything Henry said, but he heard just enough about Robin, time travel, escape from the gallows, and a returned dead wife that he pieced together what just happened. Immediately he felt heart sick for Regina.

"I'll come with you, the two of you shouldn't have to face this alone."

"But just now at the diner, she said... she doesn't want people to come after her."

"Well just a few days ago she agreed that we are friends, or starting to be, and friends don't let friends be miserable, do they? Come on, Henry, let's go find your Mom."

Henry's smiled gratefully at him, and together they raced toward 108 Mifflin Street.

They reached the mansion, dark and foreboding, not a single light on, but energy and power crackled around it and they knew Regina's inside, and hurting bad. Henry hurriedly grabbed the spare key from under a flowerpot, and together they entered, Henry calling out for his mother. The sound of breaking glass and a low keening moan from the kitchen alerted them to where she was.

Henry made to run over but Archie stopped him. "Wait, Henry, let me talk to her first."

"She's my Mom! I know she's not going to hurt me."

"I know she won't. But some things, we can't talk to our children about, and some things, she would never want you to see. Go to your room now, while I check on her, and do not eavesdrop - I mean it Henry - your mother will not want that. I'll make sure she comes to you after."

Henry was still conflicted. "Don't you hear her? She's hurting, so much, and I just want to help her," he said in a small voice, tears gathering in his eyes and dripping down his face in a steady stream. Henry had grown so much in the past year, but he was still a child that's clearly out of his depth but still aching to be with his mother, to help in any way.

Archie crouched down, though not as much as he used to, and looked straight into Henry's eyes. "Trust me. Let her speak to me alone first, I can and I will help her. Go to your room, shut the door and call David, let him know you got home alright and that I'm around too, but tell him it's probably not a good idea that anyone else comes here tonight. Can you do that for me, and for your mother, Henry?"

He swallowed. And darted another glance at the hallway to the kitchen, where the moans had turned to soft sobbing. He nodded his head once jerkily. Archie watched him head up the stairs slowly, each step a dead physical weight. He waited until Henry disappeared and the click of his shutting door, before heading to the kitchen, where a storm awaited that he could only hope he can weather through.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning for some accidental (or subconscious) self-harm, and talk of suicide.

Regina teleported herself straight back home from the diner, opening her alcohol cabinet and quickly grabbing the first bottle on the shelf. Pouring herself a generous shot, she downed it quickly, barely noticing the taste as the liquor burned down her throat, a welcome distraction from the pain in her heart. Her entire body was shaking with the force of keeping it together, nerves frazzled as the dark storm within her threatened to be let out. She had nearly lost control in the diner, but she had promised Henry she would never go back to her old ways, and was going to leave before things got worse. But Emma, always the Savior Emma, could not let her be, just as she could not let past events be.

Once again, her happiness had been torn away by this blasted bloodline. Eva had exposed her mother's pregnancy, Snow had revealed her secret elopement with Daniel, and now Emma - whom she had trusted, whom she had thought her ally, had taken away her second chance.

She should have known that everything was going to fall apart around her. That seemed to be her lot in life, all her moments of incandescent joy followed swiftly by crushing heartbreak. Losing Daniel, not once but twice and the second time by her own hand, returning her mother's heart only to have her die in her arms immediately after, rescuing Henry from Neverland only for them to be torn apart by a new curse.

And now, this.

Always,  _always_ , endless grief the price she had to pay for one brief moment of absolute happiness.

Her heart had been back in the chest, a joint effort by both Robin and her as together they had slotted it back in her chest, and then they had celebrated with wine and kisses as they sat by the fireplace. She had told him the significance of the lion tattoo on his wrist, and he hadn't thought her ridiculous, hadn't run at the implication of their connection, but had just looked so overjoyed. Later he had confessed that he had always felt drawn to her, right from their first meeting in the Enchanted Forest, and her words were just confirmation of what he already knew in his heart.

Giddy with victory and romance, they had spent an entire day together, learning each other with words and touches. Everything had felt so perfect and she never thought she could have this, a second chance at happiness. But here it was, and higher and higher she had flew, toward her happy ending that was finally in reach, but it seemed the fates had it out for her, and everything fell apart and shattered, just as it always had, and how it always would be.

Slamming her hands on the dining table, she let out a noise that could have been a scream or a sob, for this grief was tearing her inside out. There was only one way to alleviate it, and so she reached trembling fingers into her chest, pulling out her heart, her small dark hurting heart. She still remembered him holding it in his palm, a perfect fit, and she couldn't bear to look at it anymore, tossing it carelessly onto the table.

The storm of emotions lessened, but just minutely though, for it still felt as if she was hurting from deep within, like the pain had settled into her very soul, this pain that had started the moment she had seen Robin rise from his seat, tears in his eyes and the broken whisper of his wife's name on his lips.

Regina knew she had lost then, but hope was not so easily beaten, and when Robin had moved as if to go after her before she left, for one wild moment her heart had leapt. But then he had turned to the dead-but-no-longer woman beside him, had hesitated. In that one moment she understood how this was going to end, and hope was silenced and spoke no more.

She was never going to be enough.

Not even for her supposed soul mate, the man she was destined to be with.

Maybe pixie dust was wrong after all, and her heart was destined only for pain.

She moved to pour herself another shot, seeking oblivion in alcohol, but then completely stilled as she noticed just what bottle of liquor she held in her hand.

Whiskey.

Memories assaulted her, and she was lost once again. The first time they had met (again) in Storybrooke, where he had dialed up the charm and offered some stolen whiskey, and she had been so intrigued by this stranger who looked completely past the Evil Queen persona and saw only Regina. A certain spot in the woods, where she had sat reading a letter that wasn't hers to savor after all, and he had torn down all her defenses as if they were nothing, reading her so well it was as if he'd known her for an entire lifetime. Even the time they had spent together in the Enchanted Forest, where he never backed down from her, always rising to her barbs with witty repartees, and though he hadn't healed her grief, none of them had, he still ignited something within her that year, a spark to live and engage with the world.

She could not tolerate any reminder of him any longer, and so she tossed the whiskey in her glass down the sink, then poured away the remainder in the bottle too. It all flowed away down the drain, just like the perfect future she had scarcely dared imagined for herself, this house filled with laughter and love, a family of four living within its walls and building new memories together.

Something in her snapped then.

She threw the empty bottle across the kitchen, where it hit the wall with a resounding, and very satisfying, crash. The bottle shattered completely on impact, shards of broken glass raining down on the floor everywhere, like everything good that had ever come her way, and really, what was the point of being happy when she couldn't keep hold of it? She grabbed the next thing, the wineglass, and she smashed that against the wall too.

Break it, break them all, just like how she herself was broken.

More shattered glass and broken china joined the shards littering the floor, until there was nothing left to break, nothing left to give. She fell to her knees, uncaring of the sharp debris cutting into her skin, and in the back of her mind she registered a low keening noise that she was surprised to find came from her as tears splashed down her face.

It wasn't supposed to hurt this much without her heart. Her chest wasn't even supposed to hurt anymore, but hurt it did, a sharp searing pain as if knives were in her heart, and in some dark corner of her mind she welcomed it, relished in it.

Let this pain be a reminder, that love was weakness, and happiness a mere illusion, a mirage designed by the fates to first lure her in with hope, then snatch it away and torture her with everything she could never have. Never again would she fall for this cruel trick.

* * *

She had no idea how long she knelt there, sobbing and grieving for a future gone before she could even begin accepting it. Eventually, a voice cut through the haze of despair she had sunk into.

"Regina? Oh God, Regina. You're bleeding! Regina, can you hear me?"

Looking up through blurry eyes, she had to blink a few times before Archie's worried face came into focus. He stood at the edge of the entrance to the kitchen, concerned eyes flitting through the kitchen and the destruction she had wrought in it. He came in slowly, hands raised in a calming gesture, steps careful and measured, as if she was a skittish horse that would bolt at any provocation.

She hated that her weakness was on such full display, laid bare for anyone to see.

She tried for a sneer. "Dr. Hopper. What are you doing here? Here to gawp? I am in no mood to play friendly today, so I'm giving you this one chance. Leave now, or I'll turn you back into a cricket."

Her threats didn't work, and he came even closer, and so she bolted, scrambling to her feet quickly. Frantically, she backed up, knees still dripping blood on the floor, but he was blocking her exit to freedom, and only the cabinets were behind her.

"Regina, please. Don't run away. Talk to me. Please, let me help you."

In retrospect she would remember that she had magic at her disposal and escaping the kitchen would have been child's play. Right then though, the walls felt like they were closing in on her, and she could barely breathe, let along think. Everything was a jumble of emotion and pain. She focused on the rage, because it had never failed her, and Archie must have seen the manic glint form in her eyes as she straightened, for he stopped, hands raised in a conciliatory fashion.

"Why will I need your help? Why are you even here? Did the news spread so quickly then? The Evil Queen lost her man to his newly returned dead wife and has threatened to destroy the whole town again. Don't you worry, dear, I have no desire to burn this town, now go run back to your rock."

"Regina. I know you won't hurt anyone, this is just you lashing out. If you must know, word hasn't spread. Instead I bumped into Henry on his way here. He was rushing here, wanting to be with you."

Henry was here? Afraid that Henry might have just seen her fit of anger, she gasped, and he hurriedly reassured her. "I told him to let me talk to you first. He's in his room now, though very reluctantly so. He's worried about you, Regina."

"Henry's here, with me, not with Ms. Swan…," she whispered, "He doesn't think I'm evil again?"

"Of course not, he believes in you. As do I. Regina, please, for Henry, will you accept my help?"

Henry. The one constant in her life. Even though she had just attacked his birth mom, he still chose her and came after her and it was like a light suddenly flickered in the darkness enveloping her. She would always be Henry's mother, in that, at least, was one thing that couldn't be taken away.

She was completely unprepared for the sudden intensifying of the pain from her chest, and she cried out sharply, falling to her knees again.

"Regina!" Archie hurriedly crouched down beside her, careful to avoid any broken glass. "What is it?"

"My chest," she managed to gasp between bouts of pain. What was happening?

Archie looked around, trying to find something, anything, to help her, and then he stilled, mouth open in an alarmed expression, gaze transfixed on a spot just beyond her peripheral vision.

"Regina!" he exclaimed in horror. "What is that? Is that your heart lying over there, among all the glass shards?!"

"What?" The pain had alleviated somewhat, and she turned her head to look, and it was indeed her heart, her joke of a resilient heart, lying on a bed of broken glass. It must have rolled off the table and landed on the glass shards, and it was no wonder then that she felt like thousands of tiny pins were piercing her chest.

It was ironically fitting in a way, and she chuckled darkly.

"Regina, this is no laughing matter! That is your heart we're talking about!" Archie was as freaked out as she had ever seen him.

"Believe me, I am well aware of my heart, what with all the pain it brings me every day." She willed her heart to come to her and it flew into her hand. Pinpricks of blood welled up from her fingertips as she grabbed hold of the organ, for it was quite literally coated with glass pieces, thousands of them, most of them no larger than grains of sand.

"That doesn't mean you can just take it out whenever it hurts! And literally piercing it with glass?" His voice grew softer, and even slightly fearful. "Regina, this is… Are you… Have you been thinking about killing yourself?"

Indignant at the implication in his words, she raised her head to face him. "Of course not! I didn't do this on purpose! It just fell from the table!"

He looked unconvinced, and she was reminded of another day long ago, when a green-clad fairy had assumed the same thing, and deep down inside her, she wondered if they were right.

Archie opened his mouth to say something more, but she wasn't ready at all to talk about this, and to forestall him, she waved her hand over her battered heart, removing the glass shards and healing her knees and fingertips too. She looked defiantly at him. "There. Glass shards gone. Blood gone. Happy?"

A very peculiar expression adorned his face, half horrified and half concerned, and clearly the therapist in him felt like they should talk more about the self-sabotage of her heart. He knew her well enough though, that to pursue this line of questioning would only shut her down, and so he settled on some middle ground, and gestured wordlessly at her hand that was still clutching at her heart.

Rolling her eyes at his expectant gaze, she shoved her burden back into her chest, and as grief doubled and intensified within her, she grounded out, "It's illogical to keep it in my chest, it's hurting so much."

"Regina, I understand…"

"Do you?" She interrupted. "What do you even feel with that tiny cricket heart of yours?"

A brief expression of hurt crossed his features, but then he crossed his arms, leaning back. "You always do this. Push away the people who care for you. Don't do this now, Regina, you don't have to be alone anymore. There are so many people who are willing to be there for you if you will just let them."

She closed her eyes briefly. "Except him. My prophesized soulmate."

"He hasn't left you yet..."

"His wife is back! And do you know what Emma rescued her from? An execution. Ordered. By. Me." Every single word dropped from her lips in a harsh whisper. "What will he even want to do with me now, why will he even want to be there for the woman who killed his wife? I should have known that this will happen. I have killed so many people, it figures that the odds will be against me, that one of those people I killed was his wife."

Shaking her head in despair and self-loathing, she whispered, "I've destroyed so many happy endings. I don't deserve my own."

"No, that's not true." Archie said, a firm edge in his otherwise gentle voice. "Everyone deserves a happy ending, even you, especially you, after all you've done to redeem yourself, and all the times you've saved every one of us."

"That doesn't seem possible anymore."

"You said that once back at the Enchanted Forest too." And she had, when she was hopeless after losing Henry, and Archie had offered the same soothing comfort and kind words, always buzzing around in the periphery. "And you said then too that it was impossible, but look here you are again, reunited with Henry. Believe in hope, Regina, you  _will_  find a way back to happiness."

"I can't."

"You have to." And so he went on, talking about faith and hope and belief, and she couldn't accept it, all these empty words that meant nothing. And maybe it shouldn't hurt this much, losing a relationship that had barely just begun, but Robin had represented so much more to her than just that. He had been her destined soulmate, her second chance and quite possibly her only chance, and she had now lost it all. Grief welled up in her again, made all the more potent with her traitorous heart once more inside her.

She had to stop this conversation before she completely broke apart. "This isn't therapy session, Dr. Hopper, you don't have to analyze me and my thoughts today."

He studied her, and she knew he can see the signs of her impending breakdown as clear as day. "You're right, it isn't. And we should schedule one soon, because you do need to talk about all this. But tonight, I'm not here in the capacity of your therapist. I'm here as your friend. Because I care about you, and I'm concerned for you, and there's no need for you to pretend with me."

Tentatively, he reached out for her, drawing her in for a hesitant hug, and she should push him away, should toss him across the room for daring to offer her comfort, but she was so very tired. Sorrow clung onto her, like a chill in her bones, and she feared she would never feel the sun again.

She leaned into him, and closed her eyes, as the tears started anew.


	6. Chapter 6

His room hadn't changed much – all his books were still neatly arranged on the shelf, posters and pictures still stuck on the wall, each and every one of the clocks he had collected back when time didn't move still in their precise spot. There was a stillness in the room that never existed before though, and it felt almost like a shrine, pristine and untouched. But the bedsheets were rumpled, with a couple of photo albums on them, and if he buried his face in the sheets and inhaled, he could breathe in the familiar smell of his mother's perfume. It made him feel guilty, that for an entire year he had actually forgotten her, had left her for a happy life while she took on all the grief and sadness for herself.

Everything looked so familiar and yet so unfamiliar at the same time, and it was with a jolt that Henry realized that the last time he had slept in this room was when the first curse just broke. He thought then that his mother was nothing else but the Evil Queen, had resented her, and this room felt so much like a prison then. He knew better now, and being in here felt like he had finally returned home, and right there and then he resolved to spend a lot more time here in the future.

Especially because right now, his Mom needs him.

He sat huddled on his bed, clutching his pillow and the photo albums. He had called David as Archie instructed and now there was nothing left for him to do but wait. Straining his ears, he tried to listen out for any noise down below. At least the sound of breaking glass had stopped, but the kitchen was too far away for him to discern any voices or conversation.

He knew he could easily creep down the stairs and eavesdrop on what's happening, but Archie had told him not to, for his mother's sake. And Henry understood why. Henry knew his mother better now, knew her like he never did before, and she was no longer the larger-than-life supermom who was once the centre of his world, nor was she a two-dimensional caricature of the evil villain in a fairy tale. She's human, just like him, and she's hurting, but he knew her pride and fierce desire to be strong for him, and he knew she would never want him to see her fall.

If he went down to see her before she was ready, it might ease his worry, but she would never forgive herself for not being strong enough for him.

And therefore he stayed in his room, even if he's so,  _so_  scared, and he felt like he was five again and begging his mother to come chase the monsters in the closet away.

The clocks in his room merrily measured every second in a cacophony of ticks, and he had never been more aware of the passage of time until now. It felt like an eternity passed before there was finally a knock on his door, but it wasn't his mother but Archie's voice that sounded from beyond the wooden frame, and Henry scrambled quickly to his feet. Hurriedly opening the door, he asked frantically, "Dr. Hooper! How is my Mom, where is she?" He craned his head around the psychiatrist trying to catch a glimpse of the woman he loved so very much.

Archie tried to reassure him, saying, "Henry don't worry, your mother is fine."

It was such a transparent lie, and he wasn't a kid anymore, he's old enough to handle the truth. His face must have reflected his disbelief, for Archie sighed, struggling for a moment as he searched for words to say. "She… has been better, yes. But your mother is a strong woman, Henry, and she  _will_  be fine."

She would be fine, but not now, was what was unspoken. He felt so powerless, and the tears that had gathered in his eyes finally escaped, a few drops slipping down his cheek. "I just want to do something, anything, to help her."

"You being here is the best thing for her right now, Henry." Archie bent down to his eye level. "I mean it. You're the best medicine for your mother right now. She'll be joining you soon, and then I'm leaving to give the two of you privacy. I promise you though that I'll come by to check on both of you first thing in the morning tomorrow. And if anything happens and you need me, call me anytime. Even if it's 3 am in the morning, I promise you I will pick up."

He nodded his head and swiped angrily at his cheeks (he's a big boy now, he shouldn't be crying anymore), tears still falling despite his best efforts.

Slow steps sounded up the staircase, and his mother appeared on the stairs just behind Archie. Although her clothes and makeup were as impeccable as always, he saw how puffy and red her eyes were, how she moved as if the entire world was on her shoulders, and she looked so very tired and old and small. She dredged out a smile for him, but it was a pale shadow of the smile that danced on her lips yesterday, and it broke his heart anew.

He shot past Archie, darting straight for his mother's arms and they held each other in a death grip, tears mixing and mingling. He squeezed her hard, wanting to squeeze all the sorrow out of his Mom, and she clutched back just as fiercely. They clung to each other like a lifeline, barely registering the retreating footsteps of Archie as he left with a soft "I'll see myself out."

* * *

Leaving Regina's mansion with a heavy heart, Archie began the long walk home in the cold, a million thoughts swirling in his head. Regina's complete breakdown, and her battered heart with all the glass shards embedded in it, were images that would stay with him for a while.

"Archie!" He heard someone call for him, and turning in that direction he found that it was David, and surprisingly, Jefferson. They quickly crossed the street over to him.

"We're not planning on going in, we've just been keeping watch. How is she?" David asked.

"Henry is with her now." Remembering his promise to keep everything confidential between him and Regina, he didn't divulge anything else, but it was a lost cause as Archie never had a poker face, and he knew his worry was plain for everyone to see.

"She's not fine, is she?"

Archie shook his head, declining to answer, and changed the topic. "How are things at the diner?"

This time it was Jefferson who answered, with a derisive snort. "Chaotic. We finally managed to disperse the crowd. Apparently the Evil Queen has returned, even if she did just defeat the Wicked Witch yesterday. A leopard never changes its spots and all that nonsense. The stupidity of these people sometimes…"

Archie wasn't privy to the details, but he knew there was history, not of the happy nature, between Jefferson and Regina, and for him to be standing up for Regina was an astounding development. Judging from the startled glance David sent Jefferson's way, he wasn't the only one surprised.

Jefferson shrugged, not bothering to explain himself. He continued updating Archie on the situation at the diner. The Blue Fairy had managed to undo the spell Regina casted on Robin Hood's feet, but his wife was hysterical, only calming down marginally when her husband and son stayed by her side, but she refused to leave the diner fearing the unknown world outside, and Granny had offered them a room for the night.

At the end of the tale, David nodded his head toward the mansion. "Will she be alright?"

Archie sighed. "Only time will tell. At least Henry is with her now. It might be a good idea to come visit her tomorrow though, to let her know that she isn't alone."

"I agree," David said. "I should go, Snow will want to know that Regina is alright. She wanted to come here too, but she's still recovering and it is cold out tonight. I'll see you guys then, goodnight."

He walked back in the direction of the diner, leaving Jefferson and Archie alone. The silence was somewhat awkward, as the two of them had never interacted much before, except for a few disastrous therapy sessions during the curse when he had thought Jefferson was insane and prescribed him pills, and he wondered if he should apologize for that.

Jefferson broke the silence before he could say anything to that effect.

"Regina. She's in a bad way, isn't she?"

It was a rhetorical question and so Archie didn't answer, parrying instead with a question of his own. "I thought you hated her."

Jefferson snorted once. "I thought so too." He remained silent for a while, sorting through his thoughts. "I've seen so many different facets of her, you know. That young innocent girl that I first met, so many decades ago. I watched as hope was extinguished within her and her descent into darkness until she morphed into a Queen consumed by grief and vengeance. It's easy to hate her when she's at her worst, when she's the Evil Queen committing atrocities everywhere she goes. Right now though? The woman inside that house who tried so hard to do the right thing and her reward for that is just more tears and heartbreak? It's difficult to hate her when she's like that."

Archie had no words to say to a speech like that. Together they stood side by side in the cold, both worried about a woman who most people hated and feared, and yet a woman they both called friend.

* * *

Unaware of the vigil outside her mansion, Regina sat with Henry on his bed as together they looked through the photo albums that had kept her company so often in the weeks since they came back to Storybrooke.

The bed was a tight fit, and she made a mental note to buy a new one soon, as her beloved boy is growing fast and soon his feet would hang off the bed. There were so many other things to think about too, Henry's school transfer from New York to back here, buying new clothes for him, and he desperately needed a haircut, although she's pretty certain Henry would disagree on that point. Mundane things, all of them, but they were all she could allow herself to think about, for to think of anything else would be to fall apart, and she couldn't do that in front of Henry.

Henry was trying hard to cheer her up, flipping through the book and pointing out all the silly expressions or things he did when he was young that were forever immortalized in film. She was so very proud of her little boy who had grown into such a mature young man, but also so very heartsick because he wasn't the parent, he shouldn't be the one taking care of her.

She said as much to him, and as expected he protested. "You're my Mom. I want to help you, to take care of you."

"Sweetheart, as the parent I should be the one doing that, not you."

"And you've taken care of me all my life. Let me be here for you this time, Mom."

Touched immensely, tears started pooling in her eyes again.

"Mom..." And Henry, her sweet not-so-little-anymore prince, reached out to her and held her, offering his comfort as tears started falling again.

"Do you want to talk about him?"

These tears weren't for  _him_ , but one mention was all it took for her thoughts to fly to him again. She sighed, a choked sound. "There's nothing to talk about." She thought of a lion tattoo and how pixie dust never lied, and she couldn't keep thinking that, couldn't keep thinking of him as hers.

"He was never meant to be mine. All those epic tales about Robin Hood and his gang of Merry Men? In them, it's always Robin Hood and his Maid Marian." She smiled bitterly at Henry. "There's no story about the Prince of Thieves and the Evil Queen, and there never will be."

Henry bit his lip, unsure how to reply. "They're all just stories, Mom, not the real versions, I know that now and you're so much more than the Evil Queen! Besides, I won't put much stock in them anyway. I mean, come on Mom, he's a  _fox_  in one of them, how can you possibly take any of them seriously?"

She was startled into a laugh at his quip about Robin Hood the fox, but that quickly turned into a gasp as the pain in her heart flared out again, sharp as glass and cold as ice.

"Mom?" Henry asked, concerned as her face contorted in brief agony.

Wrestling the pain back in control, she gave her son a watery smile. "I'm sorry Henry. I'm fine now. Let's continue looking at the photos shall we? Look at you over here, I remember this incident so clearly…"

With her son at her side, she would weather any storm.

Little did she know that the chill inside her heart had only just begun.


	7. Chapter 7

Regina woke up disoriented.

In her dream, she was sitting by a lake, and Roland had yelled her name and scampered into her lap, tiny arms tight around her. Henry appeared and Roland jumped into his arms next, and the ease at which both boys interacted with each other spoke of familiarity, and there was something tight in her chest as she watched both boys shoot off enthusiastically for the lake, a bag of bread crumbs in Roland's small hand.

The man beside her had chuckled at their boys' antics, and since they were now distracted at the lake, took the opportunity to kiss her deeply, lips moving slowly and sensually against each other. Later, breathless, they rested their foreheads together, and he had gazed enraptured into her eyes, lips quirked into a secret smile that was meant only for her. He whispered three words to her, and her heart was pounding so very hard, and it was hurting so very much that it felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest.

It was jarring to go from that warm sunny afternoon to this cold overcast morning, and for a moment the entirety of the dream was still forefront in her head before it all but dissipated, leaving behind just a gaping sense of loss of a future that wasn't hers to anticipate anymore.

Life must go on though, even if she felt so very tired, and so Regina got out of bed and went about her morning routine. She dressed, choosing her clothes today with care: no longer the soft dresses she had favored since they came back to Storybrooke, but a grey silk shirt and a crisply pressed pair of trousers, paired with a no-nonsense business suit and deep red lipstick. Because even though she might be broken she would not show it to a world just waiting for her to fall, and this was her armor and shield and mask.

She peeked into Henry's room and he's still sleeping soundly in his bed, hands clutching a photo album, and it was such a beautiful image, Henry back at home with her, this mansion filled with life again, and she would not have this moment sullied by pain. So she damped the pain in the heart down, resolutely ignoring it even as every so often it would flare out.

She went down to the kitchen, broken glass shards all removed - for that was the wonders of magic - and started fixing breakfast for the both of them, deciding that today was a pancake day. She was just about done with the pancakes when Henry walked in still in his pajamas, hair completely mussed and eyes still bleary.

"Mom?"

She smiled at him. "Good morning Henry. Have you even combed your hair?"

"Of course I have, Mom. I've also brushed my teeth and washed my face and made my bed." And his response was just the right mixture of petulant and insulted, so very reminiscent of his childhood days, and for a moment she could almost pretend that nothing had changed and he was still seven years old and she was just his strict yet loving mother, and it was just the two of them, not a care in the world.

And perhaps not everything had changed, because Henry then grinned cheekily up at her, and she knew he responded this way specifically to make her smile, and despite the ever constant ache in her heart, how could she not? They sat down together at the kitchen table eating their pancakes, and she was delighted (yet horrified too) that her little boy hadn't lost his sweet tooth at all, drenching his pancakes in syrup. She was torn between just letting him be because she missed him so much or lecturing him on the importance of a healthy lifestyle, and the mischievous glint in her son's eyes told her he knew exactly what she was thinking.

Long after breakfast was done, they still sat at the table, talking about everything and anything, and it was a balm to her hurting soul as Henry confessed just how much he had missed her, even if he didn't remember. The doorbell rang though, interrupting their chat.

"That's probably Dr. Hopper. I'll get it, Mom," Henry said, before running to get the door as she tidied up in the kitchen, understanding that just as she needed to talk to Archie alone yesterday, Henry probably needed a listening ear now and who better to provide one than the steadfast therapist?

There wasn't the expected murmur of voices after Henry opened the door though, just a long drawn out silence, and so she called out to Henry as she walked toward the entrance. "Henry? Who is it? Is everything fine?"

At the sound of her approaching voice Henry slammed the door shut, a deer in headlights look on his face as he stuttered through an answer. "Er. Yeah of course everything is fine! It wasn't Archie. Just a... you know. a prank! Someone was playing a prank on our doorbell, yeah."

But she had smelt a familiar earthly scent in the cold gust of wind from the door slam, and she knew exactly who was on the other side of the door. For a moment she was tempted to accept Henry's answer, to pretend there was no tattooed man standing outside the house, and there was no conversation she had to have with him.

There was no point in dragging things out anymore though, and she knew it was time for her to close this short but beautiful chapter of her life. She exhaled, closing her eyes briefly and leaning on the wall for support.

Knowing the game is up, Henry tentatively suggested, "We can just ignore him. You don't have to talk to him."

She tried to smile at Henry. "It's alright, Henry. I'll be fine. I'm just going to talk with him for a while. Why don't you go upstairs and change, you shouldn't still be in your PJs."

Henry quite metaphorically dug in his heels, a mulish look on his face. "No I'm not leaving you! Not with  _him_." Her boy almost spat out the word, and she had to smile at the protectiveness he was exhibiting on his youthful face.

"Henry. I have to do this, sweetheart."

He clenched his jaw and she almost thought he would still disagree and she and Robin would have to talk with a chaperone in the room, but then he nodded and left reluctantly, though she had no doubt he would be dialing Archie's number the moment he reached his room, and for once, she's actually grateful for that.

She had no idea how this would go.

Slowly, she approached the door where on the other side, the man prophesized to be her soulmate was. She remembered a similar situation from a long time ago, where they were also at opposite sides of the door. Then, it could have been the start of their destiny and happy ending, but she was too afraid and instead she had run away from him. It seemed fitting that she was to pay for that decision today, and this door represented all the chances she had squandered, and what she must put an end to today, once and for all.

She just needed a moment first, and her hands clutched at the door knob, taking deep fortifying breaths as she told herself that she can do this, and then in one swift moment she opened the door.

"Regina," Robin breathed out the moment he saw her, the very word a prayer. His eyes were bloodshot and he looked completely wrecked, hair an utter mess and clothes rumpled, a desperate expression on his face, but why was he even upset when his wife was back?

"What are you doing here?" And she sounded almost like her old self, voice shaking just a little bit.

He looked just as lost as she felt. "Because I have to talk to you..."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "And what's there to talk about?"

"Regina, please. Just let me come in. I need to talk to you, about everything that has happened.

Every fiber in her body was screaming at her not to let him into the house, to just tell him everything was over and then shut the door in his face, but she knew that he was right, and they had to talk, one last time, say everything that needed to be said before they parted forever, and he needed this just as much as she needed it.

Against all her better judgment, she stepped aside and let him in.

Despite his words, he seemed unsure as to what to say after she shut the door, lingering nervously in the hallway instead of going further into the house, fidgeting compulsively. His clear blue eyes were fixated on her with concern and sorrow, and if she wasn't careful they would be her undoing.

She would not show him any weakness though, never again. She had spent decades becoming proficient with hiding her emotions, presenting a cold mask to the world, and she drew on that experience now as she demanded at him. "Didn't you come here because you have something to say? Well say it thief, my time is precious and you're wasting it. Not all of us just sit around the entire day not a care in the world you know? I have an entire town to run here."

He shook his head slowly. "Don't do this."

"What?"

"I've known you for an entire year, seen you when your walls were sky-high and your heart closed off. Please don't shut everything out again. Not for me."

She raised her eyebrow and laughed derisively. "You seem to think pretty highly of yourself."

"No, not at all. But I like to think that I know you, at least a little, after everything we've been through."

A year of flirtation disguised by arguments and insults, and then a week of heated glances and tender caresses, and she knew he was thinking about it too, about them and the memories they'd created together. She took a step back, creating more space in the gap that had already opened between them.

"You don't get to say that. You have no right. Not anymore. You have your wife back!"

He raised his voice slightly, getting agitated. "And do you think so little of me that you believe I'd go straight back to her without a single thought of you? We were building something beautiful together. Do you really believe I can abandon that?" In his face was a conglomeration of emotion and hurt, and she wanted so much to reach out and smooth the pain from his face, but she couldn't. "You're important to me too, Regina."

She would not accept this hope, this kindness from him, because it would just set her up for more despair again eventually. "Let me make the decision easy for you then." She braced herself for her next statement, knowing it would change everything. "You heard what your wife said last night. Back in the original timeline, I was the one who killed her. Me. I murdered her." She spoke devoid of any emotion, enunciating each word clearly, making sure he could feel the full impact of them, even as they killed her inside.

His face contorted, and he was shaking his head even before she finished talking. "There must be a mistake. Not you. It wasn't you, it can't be you."

"Trust me, I never pardon any person that finds themselves unlucky enough to be in my dungeons."

"No, this can't be what happened. During one of our thefts, we were discovered and she didn't manage to escape. By bringing her I was the one who put her in danger. She was captured for my mistakes and sentenced to death by the Sheriff."

"I'm sure if you ask her, she'll have a different story. Which begs the question, why haven't you?"

He looked away for a moment, evasive. "The topic hasn't come up yet." She knew then, with an absolute certainty that startled her, that he hadn't asked his wife about what really happened, because he didn't want to know the truth, didn't want to confirm that it was really her that had caused his wife's death.

"Either way, the details doesn't matter. She was at my dungeons, by my order she was sentenced to death, and she would have been executed, had Ms. Swan not saved her. Your wife died at my hands, and there you were kissing her murderer. Some kind of husband you are." Her heart broke even as she said this, but it had to be done, she had to push him away. At least casual cruelty was a skill she had perfected long ago, and she wielded it now with ease even as every part of her screamed in agony.

He turned back to look at her, fire in his eyes and steel in his voice. "I know what you're doing. Every word that comes out of your lips now is designed specifically to hurt me, to push me away. Yes. Maybe you did kill Marian. And maybe I'm damned for pursuing a relationship with you if that's true. But that woman you were then is far different from the woman you are now. And maybe, maybe Marian never really did die. Maybe this whole time travel thing was always supposed to happen and she's always supposed to turn up here."

She rolled her eyes. "Now you're just grasping at straws. The truth is, I killed her."

In that moment he looked more tired than she had ever seen him. "I didn't come here to argue about this with you."

"Then  _what_  are you doing here? You should be with your wife."

He clutched at his hair in frustration, and anguish was written all over his face. "I don't know! I just… I needed to see you. She's back, Marian's back, and I should be so happy, but every time I close my eyes all I see is the look on your face before you left and it kills me. I have to know you're alright."

"I don't know what to do, Regina. She's my wife and I swore to protect and love her my whole life, but you.. you…" He looked so broken and lost, and she had never seen him this way before. He had always been so strong and decisive, every bit a leader, and it was jarring to see the tears glistening in his eyes now, indecision and agony clear in them. The last pieces of her armor melted away and she felt only sorrow, deep sorrow for him and this impossible situation they'd found themselves in.

She knew his innermost thoughts, all those words he couldn't bring himself to vocalize, the conflict in his heart. She knew he's completely torn between them, between his honor and loyalty and love for his returned wife, and... whatever it was they had between them. And perhaps once upon a time Regina would have savored that she still had power over him, would have taken it and manipulated him such that he still remained hers, but that woman was long gone now, and she knew what had to be done.

He wouldn't, couldn't, make any decision because whichever way he choose will tear him inside out with guilt, because he didn't want to hurt either of them, and so she had to make the choice for him.

"What we had between us was nothing more but an illusion, a dream. Your wife, she is the one that is real. You told me yourself, you would have walked through hell to get her back. Now you do have her back."

He gazed at her steadily, and she knew his next words would be her damnation. "I will walk through hell for you too," he quietly declared.

She would not let the tears fall, not in his presence. She had to make him understand the gift he'd been given, but she saw no other way to do so but to tear open a barely healed wound in her past, so she steeled herself and started talking.

"This wasn't the first time someone had come back from the dead, you know. Not counting Rumpelstiltskin." He kept quiet and listened, paying close attention to her words. "Dr. Whale - you met him, he delivered Snow's baby. He... he figured out a way to bring back the dead. A little while back, he experimented... on Daniel's body which I'd preserved with an enchantment spell. He succeeded. Daniel came back."

"But he wasn't whole. He wasn't himself. He was in so much pain and it filled his mind with so much rage and he just couldn't stop wanting to hurt others. And so he begged me to stop the pain, and let him go."

"And so I did.

"I had the love of my life back with me, and I killed him with my bare hands."

"Regina..." he breathed in horror, reaching out to her to offer some comfort but then remembering himself and the situation they were in, and his hands stilled in mid air.

"And now you have your wife back with you, complete and whole beside you. Do you have any idea what I would have done for such a gift? I'm not your second chance, Robin. This, your wife back from the dead, this is your real second chance. Don't waste it." She sighed. "This thing between us. It has to end."

He shook his head in denial. "No. I can't let us end like this. I can't let you go."

"Can you let your wife go then?"

He closed his eyes, tears finally leaking out of them. "It's not so simple."

"Then you've already made your choice."

"I can't just abandon her. She's all alone here, in the future, in this unknown realm with this confusing technology thing. Regina, please understand."

Giving in to the urge, she finally reached out to him, caressing his wet face as he leaned into her touch, and she hated to see him so devastated, and so she swiped her thumb gently under his eye, wiping his tears away. Yet more tears fell down his face though, and the sight of them almost broke her, but she couldn't, because she had to be the strong one here.

"I do understand. And that is why you have to let me go."

"This isn't fair to you." His hand went up to grip her hand that's still cradling his face, and he threaded their fingers together, and this was so wrong, because they no longer had the right to do this anymore, but just one last time, she begged of anyone who was listening.

"Nothing in life ever is fair."

"I never wanted to hurt you. From the first moment I saw you, truly saw you, all I ever wanted was for you to find happiness. Not to bring you more grief, not to be the cause of your sorrow." His voice was fervent, urgent, and he looked crushed with guilt and the weight of the world.

"I absolve you of any guilt you feel, Robin. If Daniel had been whole and complete, I would have chosen him. Because their leaving left a hole in our hearts, and perhaps it can be filled by others, but it'd never be a perfect fit. We make do with it because we have no other choice, we have to move on. But now you have a second chance that most other people can only dream of and you own it to yourself to try. As for me? I'll be fine. I've endured far worse than this."

"That doesn't mean you should endure more. I am so sorry Regina." He reached out to her, and she allowed him to tug her closer, allowed herself this one last luxury of feeling his touch, and then they were hugging, holding on to each other for dear life.

"I absolve you of any guilt too, Regina." He whispered into her ear as they clung to each other. "I forgive you for any role you might have played in Marian's death, because your actions then do not define you anymore, not the woman I have come to know and care for this past year, and you do not deserve this weight on your shoulders. Whatever happens in the future, whatever other secrets may come from the past, know that I'll always believe in the good in you, and I'll always stand by your side."

Drawing back from their embrace, he stared intently into her eyes, and then he leaned in and their lips met in one last kiss. It tasted of tears and heartbreak, and it was unfair, so unfair, that this goodbye kiss would forever overshadow the others that they had shared. And yet she was drowning in it, greedily savoring every bit of it because this was the last time she would ever kiss this man, and she was grateful for this final chance to commit the movement of his lips to memory.

At last they had to end the kiss, the need for air growing too strong, and with that their time together came to an end.

Slowly, reluctantly, they disengaged from each other. She showed him to the door and he followed, agony and sorrow etched on his face.

At the threshold of the door he turned to her one last time."I'm sorry."

"So am I. And Robin? If you care for me, even just a little, you will leave me alone. Don't talk to me, don't ever come look for me again. Don't make this more difficult than it has to be." She then shut the door on his tear-stained face, before finally losing the battle with her emotions, sliding down against the door and giving in to her tears.


	8. Chapter 8

Archie had a bit of a late start this morning, having lingered for a while with Jefferson outside Regina's house last night, and after he had come back home he hadn't slept well anyway, worry for Regina keeping him awake. Finally, all bundled up in a thick coat and woolen scarf, for it looked like it was going to be cold today, he was ready to leave his apartment and head over to Regina's when the call came.

Henry was frantic, and it was difficult to hear the entirety of what he said, but Archie gathered enough to understand that Robin Hood was there at their house now, and Regina hadn't sent him away but invited him in to talk. Archie knew very well (and Henry too) what the conversation could only be about, and he understood the urgency of the situation.

Reassuring Henry that he was on his way and would be there as quickly as he could, he ended the call and was just about to rush out his apartment, giving Pongo an absent-minded pet, when he paused for a moment. He knew one thing, or more accurately, one animal, that might be able to help the Mills.

Pongo in tow, he walked in a quick pace to Regina's mansion, which thankfully wasn't too far away. On his way there he saw a dejected Robin Hood, agony and devastation on his face as he walked slowly down the street, so unlike a man who had just been reunited with his wife whom had just been rescued from death's claws.

Archie fully intended to go on his way, as even in the Enchanted Forest, he hadn't had much interaction with Robin Hood, and in his human form they'd only met once in Storybrooke, at the hospital when Mary Margaret had given birth. And right now, his full focus was on Regina and Henry and getting to them as quickly as possible.

But as he walked past Robin, Pongo trotting beside him, the man's head snapped up. "Jiminy Cricket?" He tentatively asked. Archie had to admit the question was justified, since he looked very different from his Enchanted Forest counterpart, something he was actually pretty grateful to Regina for.

"Yes that's me, but over here I go by Archie."

Robin nodded, expression dimming again as his mouth twisted, and Archie shuffled his feet, feeling somewhat awkward. He received a text, and relieved to have something to do, checked it. And immediately wished he hadn't while still standing next to Robin, for it was a simple two word text from Henry – ' _please hurry'_. And he really needed to work on his poker face, for he knew his face must have blanched, and he couldn't help but glance quickly from Robin to the direction of Regina's place, and back again, and before he could even stammer out an excuse to leave, Robin asked, "Was that.. Was that Regina?"

The question didn't come completely out of left field. During what little interaction he and Robin had in the Enchanted Forest, Archie had often been in the company of Regina, talking to her (or as she would have put it – buzzing around her like a pest), and it was clear even then that Regina tolerated his presence and considered him a confidante of sorts.

Archie grimaced, knowing he couldn't lie since it would be revealed in his face, but not wanting to confirm it too. He merely said, "I have to go," and turned to leave, but Robin's quiet "please, wait," made him pause.

"Please take care of her. She's hurting and I want to… But… but I can't so please, please just make sure that she's okay."

Archie's heart went out to him even as the part of him that cared for Regina railed at Robin for walking away from her. He knew the situation was complicated though, and he saw no easy way to fix it without hurting at least one person. But one thing he knew was that dragging it out would only prolong the pain for all parties. Robin had seemingly chosen his wife, but looking at the anguish on his face, Archie wondered if the decision was at all set in stone.

"I will. And Robin, far be it from me to offer any advice to you, but remember the old adage – follow your heart, because it will never lead you astray."

* * *

Regina had no idea how long she sat against the door, utterly spent, and it was just the morning. She had to be strong, because Henry is just upstairs, but the tears refused to stop, and it wasn't long before she heard Henry's footsteps, and he sat down beside her and tentatively asked, "Mom?"

She tried to stem the flow of tears. "I'm fine, Henry."

"No, you're not." And he sounded close to tears too, and it made her sob all the harder, to have her own son cry because of her, for him to look so helpless, when she never wanted to place this burden on him. "I knew he was going to hurt you, Mom. I shouldn't have left, I should have made him go instead. Now he made you cry again, and I don't know what to do."

She smiled through her tears. "It's enough that you're here, sweetheart." Mother and son hugged each other as they sat against the door, offering comfort and solace to one another.

They sat there until enthusiastic barking heralded Archie's arrival. Regina went to wash her face first while Henry opened the door to let Archie and Pongo in, their hushed whispers to each other almost drowned out by Pongo's barking.

By the time she came back, having more or less pulled herself together and removed all traces of the tears on her face, Henry was on his knees petting the dog, a wide smile on his face, as Archie looked on. Pongo saw her and went up to her, jumping at her and licking everywhere, and like Henry she couldn't help it. She smiled at the force of his enthusiastic greeting, stroking his nose as he barked happily because three humans that he loved were all in the same place at once.

Together they went out to the garden around her house, where she conjured out a toy and treats for Pongo, and very soon Henry and the dog were involved in a game of fetch, to Pongo's delight if the frantic wagging of his tail was any indication.

She wouldn't normally do this, finding it unsanitary, but she was tired and aching and so she lowered herself to sit on the porch steps. Archie sat down beside her, a solid rock next to her. In a low voice, so that Henry wouldn't hear their conversation, he asked, "How are you holding up?"

She was too tired to even put on a mask, and replied in the same low tone. "What do you think? I let him go. He was my soulmate and I told him to go back to his wife. How do you think I feel now?"

He was silent for a long moment. "I know what this cost you," he finally said gravely.

"That's it? That's all you have to say?"

Archie looked her straight in the eye. "I know how momentous this decision you made was, Regina, to let Robin go, and I will not downplay the significance of your sacrifice and actions by offering meaningless platitudes. But, I want you to know that I'm always here if you need a listening ear. You're not alone, Regina."

She looked away, unable to bear the sincere concern in his eyes, and she would never understand why he continued to sit beside her, despite all the crimes she had committed and all the cruelty she had inflicted. Just as how she would never understand why she continued to confide in him despite every fiber in her body wanting to shut others out, but it seemed the former cricket had carved out a spot within her circle and she could never (and wouldn't want to, if she was to be honest) shake him off.

They sat in silence for a while, allowing Regina to sort through her thoughts. "Perhaps I should be alone. Once again I took a chance on happiness, and once again I got nothing back but heartbreak. Again. Maybe happiness isn't worth pursuing."

Startled, Archie twisted his body to face her. "No, of course it's still worth pursuing."

"My happy ending was once with Daniel, but he is dead and gone. I thought I could have it again with Robin, but now his beloved wife is back, rescued from my dungeons, and what was between us is over. Tell me why I should endure this again?"

He thought of the expression on Robin's face when he bumped into him just moments ago, and he suspected it wasn't as final as Regina thought it was. It didn't matter if he said it though, because Regina would never believe him. "Henry. Because of Henry."

She closed her eyes briefly. "I don't know if I'm strong enough."

"I think you have more strength than you are aware of."

She looked up at the sky for a long moment, trying to will the tears away. She had no idea where his faith in her came from, but was still inexplicably touched. She turned her gaze to watch Henry play with Pongo in the garden, just like a boy playing with his dog. "You didn't just bring Pongo over to cheer me up, you brought him here for Henry too, didn't you?"

Archie nodded. "He's just a boy. Needs his fun too." And Henry was having fun, he really did, and he looked so young and carefree, and so happy, that her heart hurt, and she couldn't help wincing as one hand reached out to massage her chest.

Archie noticed her discomfort. "Regina? Are you feeling okay? Your heart, is it hurting?"

She brushed it off. "It's fine. There's nothing wrong with my heart."

His eyebrows shot up to his receding hairline. "Just yesterday, there were glass shards embedded in it everywhere."

"Quiet!" She hissed at him. "Henry is just there, he might hear you! Do you want the entire neighborhood to hear too?"

He glanced quickly at Henry, still occupied with his game with Pongo, and when he next spoke his voice was lowered even further but still insistent. "I still think you need medical attention. That was your  _heart_  that was on a floor of  _broken glass_. Regina, why are you not taking this seriously?"

"Because I've removed all the glass shards! Besides, it's a metaphorical heart that's given form with magic, or do you really think that people are able to walk around without the organ pumping blood through their body? You have a Ph.D., cricket, you know what's logical and what's not. My heart, my actual heart, is fine, I'm not going to fall over from a heart attack."

"Fine, but your metaphorical heart was still pierced with glass shards. You have to talk about it, Regina. It might not have been on purpose, but. You felt the pain and you did nothing then. And you're still feeling it now."

Yes she didn't do anything, Regina thought to herself. In retrospect, she did feel the moment the glass shards had pierced into her heart, that sharp searing pain as if knives were in her chest, and she had welcomed it, because she wanted that pain as a reminder never to fall again. Confidante or not, she wasn't about to tell Archie that.

"Not now though. We'll make an appointment, alright? To resume my therapy and then you can talk about this to your heart's content. Right now, though, Henry is waving at us, calling for us to join them, and I've already burdened Henry with enough and I just want him to be happy, so let's go join my son and your dog." She walked away ignoring his protests, putting on a bright smile for her son.

* * *

After their impromptu game of fetch, Archie and Henry brought Pongo out for a walk at her suggestion. They were still concerned about her, Henry even suggesting that she joined them too, but she wasn't ready to face the rest of the world yet, so she reassured them that she was fine but she needed to call work to make sure everything is fine. Henry, her grown up boy, hugged her tightly, promising that he would be back home soon. Surprisingly Archie hugged her too, and it was a toss-up which of them was more shocked by his action. He added that he would take care of Henry and he would definitely be scheduling a session soon, and that they  _will_  talk about everything then, earning an eyeroll from her.

She figured that 28 years of being the Mayor gave her the right to take a couple of days off, so she called her PA Evelyn at the office (who was one of her more efficient maidservants in the Enchanted Forest), telling her that she was spending time with Henry since he just got back his memory, and Evelyn agreed to come by Regina's place to drop off some documents for her to work on.

She then busied herself with tidying around the mansion, losing track of time. When the doorbell sounded, she opened it thinking it was most likely Evelyn, but for the second time this morning, the person at the door wasn't who she expected.

It was a completely hysterical Tinkerbell, who had heard of the 'Marian Situation' as she was apparently calling it, from the fairies that were at Granny's yesterday. Tinkerbell was completely rambling, going on and on about how Robin was her soulmate and pixie dust couldn't lie, and Regina couldn't bear to listen anymore, because every word just reinforced in her mind what she had just lost.

She interrupted the fairy mid-speech. "It doesn't matter anymore, does it? I missed that opportunity you gave me, and now the chance is gone, and apparently, I did ruin his life because I killed his wife. You were right after all."

Tinkerbell was completely horrified. "You know I didn't mean that. I was just angry and I said whatever would hurt you. You didn't miss your chance, maybe I was wrong to interfere and you weren't meant to meet him then, it wasn't the right time. It is now! The both of you will get through this and you'll come out all the stronger."

The words reminded Regina of a picnic by the fireplace, gentle caresses and sweet words. "Please don't say that. It's too late."

"It's not too late. You know what, I'll cast the true love spell again. You'll see, it'll lead you to him just as it did the first time."

"Tinkerbell! Don't you dare! Does it matter if it does?" And what if it didn't? A small part of her wondered. "His wife is back from the dead, and Robin Hood is nothing but honorable. There is no happy ending for us and do not give me any more false hope, fairy."

Tinkerbell opened her mouth to protest some more, but Regina had reached the end of her tether. She slammed the door on the fairy, not caring how rude that seemed. Tinkerbell lingered for a while but left eventually, and her PA Evelyn arrived, and from her uncharacteristically concerned gaze and gentle voice Regina surmised that she knew about what happened last night too. She took the documents, closed the door and tiredly rested her head on the wall. It seemed that the gossip had already spread and now the entire town knew her heart was broken last night, and wasn't this just wonderful?

* * *

She resigned herself to a day of visitors, everybody come to gawp at the once evil, now heartbroken Queen. Henry came back, energized from his walk with Archie and Pongo, and retired up to his room to take a shower and reacquaint himself with his room and old books, and she busied herself with Mayoral duties, though her efficiency was at an all time low, and once again, the doorbell rang. Sighing, she went to open it, wondering who the latest visitors were.

Which was how she found herself in this current situation at her front door, blinking in confusion at Jefferson and his daughter Grace, as well as a few other children of various ages behind them.

Grace gave her a sunny smile. "Good morning Madam Mayor!" A chorus of good mornings from the rest of the children followed as Jefferson smirked at her astonishment.

"Good... morning to you all too, what brings you here today?"

Grace, who seemed to be the appointed spokesperson of the group, piped up again. "We know that Henry is back in town from Outside, with his memories back, and we were wondering if he's in? We haven't seen him in so long and we would love to catch up."

Ahhh so that was it. Still didn't explain Jefferson's presence though. "Yes he's in, and he'll be delighted to see all of you." She raised her voice. "Henry come down! Your friends are here to see you."

Henry thundered down the stairs, and there was a joyous reunion of hugs and laughter everywhere, and she hadn't realized just how much Henry had been missed by people other than her, she was so wrapped up in her own grief. Henry was overjoyed to see his friends too, and they were talking a mile a minute about their separate experiences in the Enchanted Forest and New York.

With some difficulty she shepherded the children to Henry's room, as a still smirking Jefferson trailed behind, where they occupied all the available chairs and his bed, some even sprawling out on the floor, still chatting excitedly, and it hurt somewhere in her chest to see that bright smile on Henry's face again.

The kids wanted pizza for lunch, and though normally she would protest at how unhealthy it was, today she couldn't because his friends were here and her son was happy, and so she indulged them and ordered in pizza, then went to the kitchen to prepare additional snacks for lunch as they waited for the pizza to arrive. She took out the cookie dough she'd kept in the freezer, and set about pre-heating the oven. While waiting for it, she started washing some fruits, preparing to make a fruit salad with them (to at least have one healthy option). Jefferson followed behind her, still a silent shadow, and in the end, it was she who broke the silence first between them.

"Well stop staring and make yourself useful."

He snorted, moving to stand beside her, accepting the knife she handed him to chop some fruits. "I'm surprised you allow me to have a knife in your presence. Not afraid I'll do something to you?"

"You don't have it in you, Jefferson. You're not a killer. Especially when there are children just upstairs."

"True." And for a moment silence descended over them again, the only sounds were the periodic chopping of his knife and the humming of the oven.

She broke the silence again. "What I'm surprised about are that the parents of Henry's friends don't mind them here with me. For that matter, I'm surprised that  _you_  allow Grace to be here."

"They know you have changed. And the kids wanted to see Henry. From one parent to another, you know how difficult it is to say no to our children."

She twisted her head to look at him even as she started putting the cookie dough into the oven for a fresh batch of cookies. "Doesn't explain why you are here."

"I volunteered to bring them here. Just because they know you're good now doesn't mean they aren't still scared of you, oh intimidating Mayor."

She glared at his mocking tone. He was at the diner last night, and she knew he must have seen what happened, and drawn his own (probably correct) conclusions. Just like that night not long ago when he came and talked about Henry's missing memories, she had no idea what he was doing here now. To gloat at her heartbreak? But that didn't seem like it.

"Why volunteer to spend time with me then, when we both know you don't want that?"

His hand that was chopping the fruits stilled, and he turned to her, narrowing his eyes at her. "I never said that."

"Huh. Could have fooled me. Because I clearly remember you saying that being with me was dragging you down into darkness too and you have to leave me to save yourself." Because she still remembered that moment, that terrible moment, when he had told her she was descending too rapidly into madness, the price of magic and vengeance for her, pulling him in with her, and he couldn't save her and so he chose to save himself. She had never loved him, her heart was too full of grief and hatred to open itself up then, but he had been a light, a battered and tainted light but still something that shone with kindness for her, and she had trusted him to be there and he had left, and she had never forgiven him that.

"Seriously? You're holding that against me? You abandoned me in Wonderland! You didn't even have to. Tell me you wanted to retrieve your father and we would have brought a body along but no, you deliberately left me there. What have I ever done to you to deserve that?"

"What did you ever do? You have the nerve to ask that." Giving up all pretense of making a salad, she stalked up to him, poking him in the chest. "Right from our very first meeting, you lied to me. And continued lying throughout our entire… thing we had."

She could see the breath whoosh out of him. "You knew. How?"

"Rumpelstiltskin told me, later, after you left." And it might have been risky of that malevolent imp, to disclose the truth of their deception, the little show they put on for her, but he knew her well then, like how a master puppeteer knew his puppet, and he knew it wouldn't turn her against him, because she had come to expect it of him, but that the knowledge of Jefferson's betrayal would only drag her further into the abyss.

She continued on with her rant as he stood shell-shocked, a torrent of words leaving her lips, things she had wanted to say to him for decades. "You didn't even have the decency to tell me the truth. I  _trusted_  you, and then you broke it first by leaving, and then after I found out that all that time, you had been lying to me. You took my trust and you used it against me. For that, you deserve all the punishment and misery I can inflict on you."

The doorbell rang,  _again_ , interrupting their emotionally charged moment, thankfully, before she could bare anymore of her soul. The pizza had arrived.

* * *

As Regina went to collect the pizza and bring it to the kids, along with the cookies and what little fruit salad they managed to make, Jefferson had a moment to collect himself. He had wondered for decades what he did to make her punish him so severely, and now he finally had an inkling of why, and he wasn't sure if it was better that he knew or not.

The day had started off so simply. He had woken up, mind full of this little plan he and Archie had come up with last night to distract Regina, and started organizing this little get-together for Henry. It had been surprisingly easy to convince the parents to let the children come, because everyone knew that Regina loved Henry, and she would never do anything to harm him or his friends. They had arrived at Regina's doorstep, and even though she looked as immaculate and put-together as every other day, he could see the strain in the way she carried herself and in the half-hearted bite in her voice. Things were off to a promising start, and Regina and him had stood together in the kitchen preparing snacks, engaging in actions so domestic they almost made him gag (though deep down in a part of him that'd never see the light of day he had dreamt of this moment once before, once upon a very long time ago). Then they had started arguing, and he didn't realize just how easy it was for Regina to bait him into an argument, how she knew exactly which buttons to press to make him angry, and vice versa.

He hadn't come here to hash out old arguments with her today, he had come here to distract, because despite everything they had done to hurt each other, a part of him still cared for her, would always care for her.

And he owed her. For the part he played in the start of her descent to evil, for the betrayal of her trust, he owed her.

* * *

She came back into the kitchen, eyeing him warily. He pushed away from the counter, allowing her space to work there. She kept quiet, not bothering to pick another fight with him, and it was with a jolt that he realized that she was tired of fighting and arguing too.

But it wouldn't be Regina if she didn't continually provoke him, and she proved that right when she finished up with whatever she was doing at the counter and turned around with a tray. Balanced on it was a teapot, steam still trailing out of its spout, surrounded by a couple of teacups and some of the freshly baked cookies. She raised a sardonic eyebrow at him. "Shall we adjourn to the living room for a little tea party?"

His mouth dropped open in astonishment. "You have got to be kidding me." But this was familiar territory for them, constantly one-upping each other with mockery and insults, and he fell back to the old patterns as though they never left before. He bowed mockingly at her. "As long as it doesn't involve a poisoned apple turnover, Your Majesty." He gestured for her to precede him first, at the same time taking the tray from her.

She walked away with an eye roll. "Thank you, Sir Hatter, how very gallant of you."

At the living room, he laid the tray on the table beside the slices of pizza she had pilfered from the party above. They sat on opposite sides, and he busied himself by pouring tea, musing that a stuffed bunny would make this rather strange tableau complete. From the smirk on her face, she was thinking much the same, and he glanced sternly at her, before she got it into her head to conjure something up.

A particularly raucous shout of laughter rang out from Henry's room, and they both smiled, having distinguished individually their children's voices from the medley of joy above. They glanced at each other, animosity fading away as they thought about their children.

Involuntarily, his mind drifted to the years in Wonderland, separated from his daughter, not knowing if he would ever see her again. And then even more recently, after Pan's curse was unleashed and Regina had to undo the curse that brought them to Storybrooke. It sent them all back to where they originally came from, and since Grace was born in the Enchanted Forest but he wasn't, they were once again separated. To endure it all over again had almost killed him, and he was so very grateful to find himself back in Storybrooke again once the memories of the lost year returned.

"I suppose I should thank you."

She glanced at him in surprise. "Well that's a first. What for?"

"Grace told me that after you all returned to the Enchanted Forest, she went to you and you tried to help her find a way back to me."

She looked away from him, uncomfortable at the gratitude in his voice. "Finding a way to you meant possibly finding a way to Henry too. And anyway, I didn't succeed."

"But you did. When I saw the smoke of the second Dark Curse, you have no idea how overjoyed I was. I didn't know how it was casted and why, or even where it would take me, but I knew it would bring me to Grace again."

"That wasn't by design. When we casted the second Curse, we crafted it to be the same as the first. And since when I casted the first one I specifically took you, and Whale, from other realms, it seemed the second curse did the same, even if you weren't within its radius. Trust me, you were the last thing on my mind then."

"Nonetheless, you have my gratitude for bringing me back here to Storybrooke, because that entire year had been agony for me."

"You sound like you really don't like your realm."

"It wasn't home, not without Grace." He was reminded of his desperation during that year, talking to the trolls, trying to find mermaids, searching for anyone who could possibly help him, but no one had any idea or the means to travel the realms. Since the decades after his leaving, the kingdom had fallen further into ruin (not that it was particularly prosperous during his childhood). Magic beans wouldn't grow in the harsh winter of his realm, and the person who had created his portal-traveling hat was long gone, and hope had dwindled as the months passed without a solution to get to Grace.

* * *

Regina watched Jefferson, and she knew that he was thinking about the years he spent without his Grace. What she said to Pan was correct – she still felt no regrets for everything that she had done, not when it got her Henry. But perhaps, she did feel remorse for Jefferson. Then, she had wanted to punish him for everything that he did to her, and so she had punished him in the worst way possible, by taking his daughter away from him. It wasn't until she herself had been separated from Henry that she realized just how horrible an existence it was, to never see your child again. She still had her pride though, and she wasn't ready to apologize, not yet anyway, not when she still felt like he did her wrong, and so she settled on some middle ground instead, seeking to draw him out of his unhappy memories.

"You've told me tales of your travels through many realms before, but never of your home."

"That's because there isn't much to tell. There's a reason why I go on portal jumping adventures, you know."

She waved a hand at the party happening upstairs. "Well, the children look like they'll be taking a while, so you can either start telling me, or we can sit here in silence and sip tea and eat pizza for a couple more hours. Your call."

He gazed at her for a while, then replied with an apparent non sequitur. "It's cold."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Really? Small talk about the weather? Now I really know you've gone mad, because you used to be a much better conversationalist than this, Jefferson."

He grinned at her. "I meant that it was cold there. In the realm that I was born. It's so cold it felt like there was always a chill in my bones. Legend was that it never used to be that way. As early as a century ago, the climate used to be… friendlier, and the kingdom used to be prosperous. But then tragedy struck. The Queen, much like you, had magical powers, although hers is more cyrokinetic in nature. Much of the details had been lost to time, but one day she lost control of her abilities and she cursed the land to an eternal winter, and soon afterwards, she just disappeared. Her sister, the princess, went in search of her, leaving the kingdom in the hands of her fiancé. Years passed but the princess never came back and was presumed to be dead, taken by the harsh conditions of the land. The princess' fiancé, one of the vilest man to ever lived, took control of the kingdom, and he ruled it to ruin. His successors aren't much better."

When she had first arrived at Storybrooke, she had read all the fairy tales she could get her hands on, equal parts intrigued and amused that there were stories of their realm and others in the land without magic. She recognized this tale. "The Snow Queen."

He shrugged. "Somewhat, I guess. The tale is pretty different from the one in my land. But we're both very different from our fairy tale depiction too."

"I beg to differ. You  _are_  as mad as a hatter." She smiled at his glare. "Tell me more. What was it like, living in such a cold place, to never see summer?"

And so a surprisingly pleasant afternoon was spent, as they sat in the living room while Jefferson talked about his childhood home. At last the children were ready to leave, although appointments were made to hang out more in the following days, and finally, after they were all appropriately bundled up, the goodbyes were said.

It wasn't until after the children and Jefferson left when she realized that not once did he mention Robin Hood, distracting her instead with first the kids, then falling quickly into their old pattern of arguments, banter, and tales, and she had actually forgotten her heartbreak for a moment. He had done this before, at the very start of their acquaintance, distracting her from her mourning with stories of his travels through all the realms. So much had happened between them since those early days, and she still felt betrayed by him, but yet at the same time she was almost grateful to him for this brief respite he had given her.


	9. Chapter 9

After the surprise visit from Jefferson and Henry's friends, there were thankfully no other visitors for the rest of the afternoon, to Regina's relief. She even managed to get some work done in the remainder of the day, and Henry brought a few books down from his room to read by her side.

As the sunlight waned, she put the documents aside and went to prepare dinner for the both of them. The food in her kitchen was running low – grocery shopping was pretty much the last thing on her mind with a wicked sister wrecking havoc on the town – and she made a mental note to do a quick run to the store tomorrow. There was still enough to make a simple meal for two though, and Henry's delight at eating the pasta she cooked for him warmed her hurting heart.

Later, stomachs full, mother and son sat together at the couch watching a recent movie, both immeasurably happy at spending time with each other after their year-long separation, and Regina almost let herself feel content.

Except Henry kept fidgeting nervously on the couch, had been texting furtively on his phone for the last couple of hours, and kept glancing at her as if he had something to say but was unsure about what her response might be. Regina had an idea of what it might be, that it was because Henry wanted to go back to Emma for the night but was afraid of Regina's reaction because the last time she saw Emma, she did throw the Savior at the wall.

She wanted nothing more but to keep Henry at her side, but she remembered the lesson she learnt after the first curse broke, when forcing Henry to stay with her only made him resent her all the more, and she would never make the same mistake again. Swallowing the bitterness, she managed to say with an even tone, "You don't have to keep staying with me, Henry. I understand if you want to spend time with the rest of your family."

Henry jerked from his slouch on the other side of the couch. "What? No Mom, I'm staying here. You're my family, and I'm exactly where I want to be."

Touched, she reached out to her son, and he went into her arms willingly. "If this isn't the problem, then what are you keeping from me then?"

"Huh?"

"Henry Daniel Mills, do not play innocent with me." Her stern words were belied by the light tap of her finger on his nose. "You always fidget restlessly – yes, exactly like that – when you're keeping a secret. Henry, sweetheart, you know you can tell me anything." She couldn't help a faint note of hurt from slipping into her voice, at the thought that after everything that had happened, her son was still keeping secrets from her.

Henry's eyes grew wide at the tone of her voice and he rushed to reassure her. "Of course I know that Mom! I'll never keep anything from you ever again. I just…" He grimaced up at her. "Please don't get mad?"

"You have to know by now, my little prince, that I'll never be angry with you for anything."

He grinned cheekily up at her. "Hah. One day, years from now, I'll wreck the car, and then I'll remind you of what you just said."

She raised an eyebrow. "You already tried to wreck a car, Henry. No thanks to your grandfather. And stop trying to change the subject, you know it never worked on me."

Henry looked everywhere but at her, worrying and twisting the fabric of the couch. "Uhh. Funny you should mention Grandpa. Well. As you know, most of my stuff – not that I brought a lot of it here from New York – is still with Emma at Granny's."

She started to have an inkling of where this was going. "Yes…"

"And… I might have texted Grandpa and asked him to bring all of it over."

Regina stilled.

He darted a quick look at her, cringing at whatever expression was on her frozen face. "They're on their way over now." He shrank back slightly, guilt and apprehension written on his face, and she let him go from her embrace, her mind latching onto one word in his confession.

"They?"

"Yes... Grandma is coming too…" If she wasn't so focused on the fact that Snow was on her way here, she might have thought the expression on Henry's face comical, for he looked exactly like that time when he was five and broke a vase of hers when she specifically told him to stop running around the house. But right now, she couldn't do anything, say anything.

The extended silence from her prompted him to go through the rest of his confession in a rush. "She just really wants to see you Mom. Both of them. They're so worried about you, they've been texting me the whole day asking about you, and they said they are really sorry and they want to come see how you are. Please Mom? I'm sorry I went behind your back. I swear it's just Grandpa and Grandma, Emma isn't coming here, I made them promise that."

He blinked up at her, his face pleading. She knew that if she refused, he would put a stop to the planned visit immediately, and was proven right by his next words, which were accompanied by a worried frown that looked so unnatural in his youthful face. "I can just meet them at the porch to grab my stuff if you don't want to see them Mom, it's okay, you just have to tell me."

For a moment she was tempted to do just that.

But she remembered their talk by the lake, back when he thought she was just the Mayor showing him around the town, and he had told her about his wish to have more than two-place settings during holidays. Maybe that desire was just due to the cursed memories, but she also remembered how lonely Henry was during the curse, how much he looked up to Mary Margaret and David, his grandparents but also larger-than-life fairy tale heroes, and the happiness on his face when surrounded by all his family. It wasn't just her he was separated from for a year, wasn't just her that was missed as the reunion with his friends proved, and still he stayed by her side, eating a simple dinner with her on a two-place setting on their kitchen table.

Even if Henry was fine with just staying by her side, she would never be so selfish as to deprive him of the rest of his family, because he needed them too.

She took a deep breath, and let it slowly out in a long exhale. She mustered out a smile for Henry, reaching out to tousle his hair as she murmured her acceptance of the impending visit. She could do this.

It didn't mean she was going to make it easy for the Charmings though, for daring to conspire with her son to arrange a meeting with her.

* * *

Far too soon, the two idiots arrived. Henry went to open the door for them, as she stood up from the couch and walked toward the hallway, arms crossed and face expressionless. They came into the living room, David and Snow, their newborn son Neal in Snow's arms, and how was she supposed to hold on to her anger in the face of a sleeping baby?

An awkward silence reigned for a few minutes as she gazed impassively at them as they fidgeted. As predicted, Snow was the one who broke the silence, with a completely inane remark. "Um. We were doing our groceries just now, so we bought some for you too." Hands full with the baby, she indicated with a nod of her head to the multiple bags that David still carried, who had seemingly forgotten that he could put them on the floor first.

They had got to be kidding her. Groceries. Did they think her too heartbroken to do her own shopping now? That she was too busy pining in her own mansion? Some of the rage must have shown on her face because Henry reached out to her imploringly. "Mom…"

Henry's presence, and her desire not to wake up the baby, was the only thing preventing her from exploding. She addressed the two of them in a low voice that still conveyed exactly how pissed off she was. "If there's ice cream in those bags of yours, you better get out now."

"No of course not, the weather is too cold for ice cream…" David trailed off at Regina's glare.

Snow picked up the slack in the conversation. "Regina. We just want to come see how you are, you were so… agitated last night."

"Great, I'm doing great. As you can see, I am very calm, and you can rest assured that I'm not going to be cursing anyone so you can get out now."

"Regina, please. Please don't shut us out. Not after everything that has happened in the past year." Snow stepped toward her then stopped, throwing a significant look at David, who then jerked into action. He put down the grocery bags, and hefted the duffel bags containing Henry's belongings to his shoulder. Nudging Henry slightly, the two of them headed up to Henry's room to deposit the bags.

On his way up David brushed past Regina, and before she could edge out of his way, he squeezed her shoulder in a half hug, catching her eye and nodding supportively at her. He then continued up with Henry, leaving Regina with Snow and a sleeping baby.

Surprisingly, this wordless exchange with David ameliorated her anger. Ever since Whale brought Daniel back from the dead and she had to kill him again, David's interactions with her had changed. He had become more… chivalrous to her, for lack of a better term, and she suspected that after that event he had come to view her much as Snow did - as someone worth saving, as family. Since then there had been many little acts of kindness and thoughtfulness from him to her, and against her will she had developed a soft spot for this foolish man, and grudging respect for his selflessness.

She still remembered the crushing despair all three of them felt while casting the second curse, having to rip David's heart from his chest and Snow crushing it and him collapsing to the ground, the deep sorrow she had felt as watched this man she'd come to view as family die. Knowing how close they had all come to losing this selfless man, she couldn't bring it in herself to remain angry. Even if she was still annoyed at that idiot stunt of his, teaching Henry to drive. One of the documents she had to read over and sign just now was approval to get the mailboxes repaired, and she was definitely docking the repair costs out of his deputy sheriff pay.

* * *

Snow's tentative voice drew her from her thoughts. "Shall we put the groceries in the kitchen then?" When Regina turned her attention back to her, Snow continued, "Regina, I'm sorry if we were too presumptuous in getting groceries for you. We didn't mean anything by it, truly. It's just that the last time we were here I saw that you were almost out of food, and figured that with everything that's been going on you haven't gotten a chance to replenish your pantry yet. So when we were out shopping just now we thought we'll get some food for you too."

The last time Snow was here, both of them had been in the kitchen, alone, after a séance to invoke her mother's spirit. Snow had apologized to Regina for killing her mother, and Regina had offered her version of forgiveness even as Snow toyed with an apple in her hands, despite the fruit being the vehicle of her curse so many years ago. Afterwards, at the study where the ghost of her mother had wrecked havoc in, they had shared a heart-to-heart. After years of fighting each other, they had finally buried the past, and Snow had encouraged Regina to go seek her own happiness. And then she had…

Some memories were best left unremembered.

Regina sighed, distracting herself from the dangerous directions of her thoughts by grabbing the bags from the floor and marching into the kitchen. Snow followed behind with the baby in her arms, sitting on the chair Regina dragged out for her as she busied herself with putting the groceries away. Thankfully, there was indeed no tub of ice cream or chocolate in the bag, just practical things like milk and eggs and pasta and vegetables, and Regina was somewhat appeased.

Too soon, the groceries were all properly stowed away, and Regina then busied herself with straightening objects on the counter, not wanting to turn around and face Snow. Before the silence could get any more awkward, Neal woke up and started fussing in Snow's arms, and all their attention was transfixed on the baby boy in Snow's arms as she tried to soothe him back to sleep. She was holding him all wrong though, and before Regina knew what she was doing she had reached her hands out for the baby. "Here, let me."

Without a moment of hesitation (and that touched Regina somewhere deep inside), Snow transferred her son into Regina's arms, and he looked so much like Henry, and through the ache in her chest she thought of how happy she was when she first held her baby son, first felt those beautiful eyes on her. She shifted her hold on the baby, bouncing him lightly in her arms, and in a matter of minutes Neal was sleeping peacefully again.

"That's amazing," Snow commented, tears in her eyes as she watched Regina with Neal in her arms. "We never managed to soothe him so quickly back to sleep before."

Regina remembered the long nights with Henry when she just adopted him, trying to coax the wailing baby back to sleep. "It comes with experience, you and David will get the hang of it before long."

Snow smiled, her eyes soft. "I think it's more than just experience. I think Neal knows that he has nothing to fear when you hold him, because there is no threat in the world that can harm him while he is in your protection, because you will fight ferociously to keep him safe."

Regina leveled a look at the tearful woman beside her. "Don't make me into someone I am not. I am no hero."

"Yes you are. You saved our son's life. Without you Neal won't be here with us today,  _I_  won't be here. We owe you everything, Regina. No words will ever express my thanks for what you did for us."

She scoffed at the overly sentimental words. What was it with people thanking her today? First Jefferson, for her failed attempts at reuniting him with Grace during the past year, and now Snow with her misplaced gratitude. "I didn't do it for you, I did it for my own continued existence."

Except that wasn't quite true, because the image of a hysterical Snow at the hospital, begging her to do anything to save her child, and Regina's own vow to do everything that was in her power to do so, was still seared into her mind. She knew she would give anything never to see that desperation on Snow's usually optimistic face ever again. From the knowing look in Snow's eyes, she knew that Regina's words were a lie too.

She squeezed Regina's elbow, the one that's still cradling Neal's head. "I know you are uncomfortable with gratitude, but please allow me to do this anyway. From the very bottom of our hearts, we thank you, and we are forever indebted to you."

Tears were threatening to fall again, and Regina busied herself with the baby for a minute, trying to hide just how much Snow's heartfelt gratitude meant to her. She changed the subject. "Enough with the maudlin talk. We both know there's only one reason for your visit today. Well, go on with it."

"What speech?"

Regina rolled her eyes. "Your excuses and justifications for what Emma did? How she saved a life, so I shouldn't be angry with her for it, and how I really shouldn't have thrown her against a wall. Don't worry, I'm not about to go on a murderous rampage to seek revenge on her."

Brows furrowed, Snow leaned toward her, eyes emphatic. "I know you won't! We aren't here about that, Regina. We're here because we really are concerned about you."

"That's it? No grand speeches to justify what Emma did? You're taking my side over your daughter? I find that hard to believe."

"This is not about taking sides, Regina," Snow replied in a gentle tone. "Yes, Emma saved a life, and I'm not sorry for that. But like Mr. Gold said, there's always a price. I _am_  sorry it was you who paid the price here."

"Maybe I deserve this price, since I was the one who killed her in the original timeline."

"The person you are now shouldn't have to keep paying for the sins of the past you, Regina."

That was easy for Snow to say, she who always forgives, but Regina knew what the rest of the town thought about the matter, knew that many of them still believed that she should be executed for all the atrocities she had committed. Sometimes, in her darkest moments, Regina believed the same thing. She could only shake her head at Snow's retort. "I'm sure many people will disagree with you."

"Regina!"

"Enough. I don't want to talk about this anymore. You have my word that I will not harm Emma. Even if she just ruined everything, just like you did." Like a wraith, the memory of Daniel rose between them, and Snow was visibly affected by it, recoiling in guilt.

"I am sorry for Daniel, Regina. I truly am. I was a child, and I didn't know any better, I didn't know my actions would have consequences, but they did, and it was you who paid dearly for my lapse. Emma is sorry too, for what happened yesterday. I don't know what to say to make it better, Regina, except that we are both really very sorry for hurting you. Neither of us ever wanted to hurt you, but we still did."

_Like mother, like daughter_ , Regina had once said to Snow, after the revelation of Eva's role in ruining Cora's future, and Snow had done the same, and now, Emma too. Except where Eva had revealed Cora's secret out of malice, Snow and Emma had never meant to destroy her happiness. Against the backdrop of their mothers' history together, and how far she and Snow had progressed together, she found that she could finally let go of her resentment and vengeance toward Snow. She was still angry at Emma, but she would find her way to forgiving her too, slowly but eventually.

"As you said, it is time we stopped being haunted by the past. For everything that I have done to you, I am sorry too." Lifting the hand that wasn't cradled around the baby, Regina squeezed Snow's hand that was still on her elbow. No longer weighed down by the past, both women smiled tremulously at each other as Regina continued, "Now we look to a new future."


	10. Chapter 10

Deep in the forest, a party raged on. Marian's miraculous return from the dead had been met with stunned disbelief then overflowing delight from the merry men, and an impromptu celebration was held to welcome her back to the camp. Roland was safely tucked away asleep, and Marian was swept away by the festivities, a welcome distraction from the events of the past few days (or decades) which had left her completely overwhelmed. Robin sat next to a tree trunk, slightly away from the party, pleading exhaustion when his men asked him to join in, although Marian's keen eye on him told him that she at least didn't believe him.

The events of the previous night played over and over again in Robin's mind. He never thought he would ever see Marian again, never thought Roland would ever get a chance to know his mother. And yet, it wasn't the image of an alive and breathing Marian in the diner that was seared into his mind. No, the image that was burned into his retinas was the agonized expression on Regina's crying face as she stepped away from him and disappeared from the diner.

Guilt gnawed at Robin, because while it was  _his_  wife that was back, it seemed as though his merry men were even more overjoyed than him. He knew Marian saw his reticence and he felt even worse. It was difficult for him to even muster up a smile, though, because all he felt was heartbreak, as he thought back to the last time he saw Regina – in the hallway of her house as they had one of the most difficult conversations of his life. He remembered the strained way in which Regina held herself, the tears she fought to keep at bay, and he wanted nothing more than to tug her into his arms and never let her go again. But Marian slept on in the room at Granny's, chest rising and falling with each breath, and that was his wife, his first love and the mother of his child, and she was lost and alone in this strange new time and realm. He would not, could not, abandon her.

Even if walking away from Regina felt like part of his soul was being ripped away from him, and maybe it was, as his sleeve rode up and the lion tattoo on his wrist was revealed. They were destined to be together, Regina had said, and in that moment he had felt joy as he had never known before, seeing that as confirmation that this pull they felt from each other was real. Now that same tattoo mocked him, reminding him of a future he had scarcely began imagining for himself before it was taken away by the fates.

As the party wound down and his men finally succumbed to sleep, he finally made his way over to Marian. She had always been perceptive, and tonight, even overwhelmed and confused, was no exception. She had seen Regina's extreme reaction to her return and Robin's own distance, and had connected the dots herself. She asked him about the exact nature of his relationship with Regina. It was then when Robin had the second most difficult conversation in his life, as he told Marian of his life without her. His guilt and grief over losing her and how Roland had filled the gaping hole in his heart, and then how in Regina he had begun to find happiness again.

Marian sat in silence through his long confession, shock on her features as he spoke of the happiness he had found with Regina, her captor and would-be executioner. After the tale he begged for her forgiveness and understanding, hating to see the tears on her face and knowing he put them there. She stumbled away, into the tent where their son slept, and Robin spent his first of many nights outside the tents, watching over the camp as everyone else slept.

* * *

Days passed, and with the threat of Zelena gone, the daily grind of life resumed. Several of Robin's men voiced concerns to him about their continued survival in this new realm. This forest was unfamiliar to them, the reliance of technology in this realm completely incomprehensible to them. Temperatures had dropped further as the days progressed, and unprepared as they were, they had no stores of food and dry wood to endure the cold nights further. Things grew worse when thieves started raiding their stores, despite how heavily guarded the camp was, and try as they might they could never catch the culprits, and every night their supplies dwindled even further.

In this time of change, his men looked to him for guidance and leadership, and Robin knew he had to find a solution to their problems, and soon. The smartest thing to do would be to seek out Regina for help, but he hesitated, mindful of her words to leave her alone, and unwilling to breach the limits she had set for their interaction.

It turned out he needn't have worried. Regina had anticipated their troubles, and not before long, help came in the form of Regina's subordinate Evelyn. She came to them in their camp, bringing with her detailed plans on how the town was going to help them settle in. Accommodations were being arranged, in the form of spare rooms from town folks that volunteered to be hosts, and would be finalized soon. Jobs would be created for all newcomers. Before that happened though, education about this realm was paramount, and Evelyn spent many hours in the camp, teaching them about everything this new world had to offer.

Robin hoped his men were paying more attention than him, because throughout all the lessons, all he could think of was how much he would have preferred it if it was Regina sitting here around the fire instead, telling him everything about this realm that was her creation. He was jolted out of his daydream by a pointed remark from Evelyn, and he snapped his focus back to the group, feeling Marian's eyes on him.

Things had been strained between him and Marian ever since her return. Marian had asked nothing more about his feelings for Regina, just as how even now he had asking nothing of her imprisonment, because neither of them wanted to hear the answers. Marian spent most of her time bonding with Roland, and her conversations with Robin were stilted, both of them not knowing how to breach the distance between them, not knowing if they even  _could_.

Robin felt wretched, knowing how much this must hurt for Marian, who had come directly from a past when they were still madly in love, to this future where he could not even bring himself to kiss her lips. He swore to her that he would remain by her side, that he would uphold their marriage vows and that things would go back to the way they always were.

"Is this out of duty or love," Marian had asked, and he had told her that he still loved her, would always love her. They both knew what was left unspoken though, even if neither of them would mention it. Robin would always love Marian, yes, but there was another woman in his heart now, too, and even with their current separation her place in his heart only grew.

* * *

Over on the other side of Storybrooke, in the park, a dozen pairs of imploring eyes stared up at Regina. It was Saturday, and this entire week, Henry and his friends had been planning for a picnic, with increasingly elaborate details for food and games. The picnic was however in danger of being canceled, because contrary to expectations of warmer weather with spring coming, temperatures had dropped instead, and it was becoming increasingly cold, making a day at the park impractical.

The children were all disappointed, as they had looked forward to the picnic all week. Also, Henry was leaving for New York tomorrow, to pack up the rest of his belongings there, and this outing was the last time his friends here in Storybrooke would see him before he leaves. Unable to bear a dozen disappointed faces, and wanting Henry's last day to be memorable, Regina gathered her magic together, focusing all her power, and conjured a dome around their entire group of children, parents and friends. Within their magical enclosure, Regina raised the temperatures to something more tolerable.

As one group the children surged forward to hug her, nearly bowling her off her feet with the force of their enthusiasm and gratitude. Joy and awe were on their faces, so unlike the suspicion and fear that would have greeted her even a year ago. Her heart swelled for one brief moment, then it clenched tightly and pain radiated from her chest. Regina stumbled slightly, but thankfully the children didn't notice the lapse as they scrambled off to play, shedding their coats as they went.

Henry lingered, and at first she was afraid he had noticed her stumble – the pain in her heart had gotten more pronounced over the week and many of the episodes were around Henry, but fortunately she was able to keep it from him. She didn't want him to find out now and worry about her while in New York.

It wasn't about that, though. As she groped blindly behind her until she found a lawn chair, lowering herself into it, Henry said excitedly in a voice full of awe, "That was _awesome_ , Mom!"

She managed to smile for Henry. "Magic can do much, sweetheart. It's nothing."

"You created an entire microclimate, Mom! That's not nothing, it's the most amazing thing I've ever seen." He leaned forward to hug her tightly in her chair. "Thank you, Mom." Regina returned the hug, even as the pain in her chest made her want to double over instead.

Henry remained in the hug instead of pulling away as she had expected, and his next words were muffled against her shoulder. "Are you sure you're fine with me leaving, Mom? I don't have to go. Emma can pack up my stuff for me."

It was a tempting offer, but Regina had learnt how to let go. "You should go. I know you love New York. And you want to say goodbye to the friends that you made there too. I'll be fine, Henry."

"You're sure?"

"Positive," Regina reaffirmed, even though she really couldn't bear the thought of Henry going again so soon after they were reunited.

He pulled away from the hug. "I'll be back before you know it. Love you, Mom!" Then he was off running towards the people playing games, yelling at them not to start without him, and Regina wondered why she already started missing Henry when he was still here.

* * *

Before she could get too melancholic, Tinkerbell sat down next to her, handing her a chilled can of soda. "That was a pretty impressive display of magic."

Despite what Regina told Henry just now, it was indeed very advanced magic she had conjured just now, difficult to cast and even more difficult to wield. It was possible only because it was just for a limited area, and she was pleased that Tinkerbell noticed and commented on it.

Inviting Tinkerbell to the picnic was a bit of an impulsive decision for Regina. A few days ago Tinkerbell had showed up at her office, contrite at the way she had behaved the last time they had met, and she had been a lot more subdued the second time, even if she was still clearly upset for Regina's sake. The conversation was still painful, full of words such as destiny and soulmates and timing, but it didn't annoy and grate at her quite at much, and they had gone out for coffee together.

It had occurred to Regina then that Tinkerbell was lonely. She had never fit in with the fairies, and her long exile on Neverland had only lengthened the distance between her and the rest of them. In the year in the Enchanted Forest, they had been busy rebuilding and dealing with Zelena, but now that there was no threat, the cracks in the sisterhood were showing, and Tinkerbell was left adrift. So in a moment of empathy, Regina had invited Tinkerbell, and the way the fairy had lit up told her it was the right decision.

She glanced over at Tinkerbell and did a double take at the monstrosity that the fairy was wearing. "Do you not have any better clothes than this?"

Tinkerbell looked at her clothes, trying and failing to see what's wrong with them. "They're hand-me-downs from my sisters, I haven't had much opportunity to get clothing, since technically I've only been in this world for a few weeks. Where do you get all your clothes from? We could go shopping together!"

Snorting, Regina said, "No wonder these clothes look like they belong in a nunnery. Trust me, there's much better fashion in this world than whatever you're wearing now. Although the boutiques where I get my clothes are just a little out of your price range, fairy."

There was hope in Tinkerbell's eyes though, and Regina allowed herself to consider. Perhaps it might be a fun day out. "But," she continued, "I might know some good thrift stores that actually do sell decent clothes that might be suitable for you." The excited squeal and fingers digging into her side were decidedly unwelcome, but the offer had already been made and couldn't be rescinded, and Regina hoped fervently that she wouldn't regret this.

Tinkerbell sat with Regina for a while longer, making plans for their shopping date, and her excitement was a distraction from the ache in Regina's chest, which was thankfully fading. The children eventually called Tinkerbell away, begging her to show some tricks with her magic. "See you tomorrow!" Tinkerbell said to Regina before skipping away with a bright smile.

* * *

Regina wasn't left alone for long, though, because not before long Archie sat down on the warm chair Tinkerbell had just vacated.

Henry had been the one to invite Archie, telling him that he was his friend too when Archie hesitated, protesting that the picnic was for family and friends. And so Archie had arrived with bacon-wrapped asparagus and Pongo – both of which were smashing hits with the young ones. Archie was winded, having run around with a bunch of kids playing with Pongo, and he smiled at her while trying to catch his breath. "I thought I was reasonably fit since most days I could keep up with Pongo, but clearly not when he is with a bunch of enthusiastic children."

She nodded distractedly, at a loss on how best to proceed. She had resumed therapy sessions with Archie, who took his job very seriously. Each meeting, though helpful to her, had been emotionally fraught, and Regina was now unsure how to interact in a social setting with the person who had dug out more of her secrets than anyone else had before.

Archie had no problems swapping professional interaction to a more informal one though, and he broke the ice. Nudging her, he winked at her. "You planned quite the successful picnic, I would say."

"It's certainly a success. But the children planned it, not me."

"Ah, yes. I'm sure there was no Madame Mayor behind the scenes, making sure everything goes smoothly and calling all the parents to double-check the plans about food. Not to mention enclosing us all in a dome of warm temperatures since the weather was being disagreeable."

She smiled. "Don't tell the children that."

They sat companionably, Archie regaling her with stories of Pongo and his many antics. According to Archie, Pongo might have found his Perdita, and as he recounted in a scandalized tone, got her pregnant on just the first date. Regina laughed, musing on the actual possibility of there being 101 Dalmatians, much to Archie's horror. He and Perdita's owner would be giving away the puppies when they were born, and here Archie asked Regina if she would like one for Henry, for Perdita was expected to give birth right around Henry's birthday.

It was a fantastic suggestion, and Regina could already imagine Henry's delight at a puppy that he could call his own and bond with. The pain flared up again before she could respond though, and she massaged her chest while trying to keep a neutral expression on her face.

Archie noticed her discomfort. "Regina? Is everything alright?"

She brushed off his concern. "I'm fine, creating and maintaining this dome is just somewhat draining. The puppy is a fantastic idea, thank you. Henry will be over the moon." Archie narrowed his eyes at her, still troubled, but annoyed shouts and excited barking distracted him, and he yelped and scrambled to his feet at the sight of an over-enthusiastic Pongo threatening to make off with the food at the barbeque grill.

* * *

Jefferson took Archie's place, handing her a plate of food, and Regina started to suspect that her friends had conspired to make sure that she would not be left alone to her thoughts at the picnic. She said as much to Jefferson, and he raised his brow at her, mock-hurt. "Not even a thank you for the plate of food I got you before you start accusing me of a conspiracy?"

Regina countered, "You're dreaming if you think I'll ever thank you for anything you do, Jefferson. What are you doing here then? I have no time to engage in small talk with you. Better things to do and all that, you know."

"Right, better things to do. That's why you're sitting here all alone at the edge of the picnic you organized. I can see why you think it a conspiracy though. Because it's certainly not your sunny personality that has us all falling over ourselves to hang out with you. There definitely must be an ulterior motive. You're very self aware."

His lips twitched though, giving away the teasing nature of his barbed remarks. He bumped his shoulder against hers. Ever since his visit with Henry's friends, the two of them had started spending time together again, either when facilitating outings for the children, or just meeting for a drink at The Rabbit Hole (Regina's suggestion – Jefferson hadn't been amused, but he ended up actually liking the atmosphere in the bar). It hadn't taken them long to fall back into their familiar pattern of banter and one-upmanship, though part of Regina was still surprised at how quickly they had become friends again.

She stayed silent, opting to watch Henry play with his friends while eating the food Jefferson gave her, which she was actually grateful for (though he would never know it) because she didn't think she has the energy to get up of the chair yet. Jefferson piped up again after a few minutes. "Huh. No biting insults? Not even an eye roll? Never thought I'll see this day." He grew more serious, studying her closely. "You seemed subdued today. Is it because Henry's leaving?"

That, and also because the ache in her chest refused to go away. "How did you do it? Let Grace go back to Carl and Ellie every other week, when all you want to do is to just keep her by your side all the time?"

He smiled at her, and it was a gentle smile, so unlike any of the others he had ever given her that she was almost stunned by it. He reached out to grab her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. "Because I know that Grace loves me, and so she'll always come back to me. Although that year in Arendelle was pretty hopeless, when it seemed like there was no way back to Grace at all."

"Arendelle," Regina repeated the unfamiliar word. "That's your realm of eternal winter?"

"Yeah. Glad to be away from that crazy place. Although right now, the weather here isn't much better. Out of the raging blizzard, into the avalanche. When you casted the curse, couldn't you have sent us to somewhere better? California, perhaps? At least thanks to your warm air bubble, the afternoon isn't spoiled."

"Excuse me, a bubble? I would not have you insulting my magic this way." They slipped back into their old bickering behavior again, and Regina had missed this, her friendship with Jefferson and how he always has a knack to distract her from what's bothering her. The rest of the picnic passed pleasantly, an endless rotation of people coming to sit beside her and talk with her, and Regina had never felt more accepted.

* * *

The next morning came far too quickly, and Emma stood awkwardly at Regina's doorstep, as Henry ran around the entire house, having overslept and now rushing to get ready. That might have been Regina's fault, for she had neglected waking him up on time this morning, but she couldn't bear to, knowing that Henry waking up meant the start of his absence in her life again, even if it was just for a short period this time.

What Regina didn't anticipate was that she would be left to entertain Emma as they wait for their son. This was the first time they'd come face to face since the diner – even though Regina knew Henry had eaten lunch with Emma on a few occasions during the week. Emma shuffled her feet, eyes darting everywhere but at Regina and a kicked-puppy expression on her face – the same expression that Henry often had when he felt guilty as well. At least Regina's heart wasn't hurting right now, because Emma would definitely see through her lie with that blasted superpower of hers.

Just as Regina was about to invent an excuse, any excuse, to escape and leave Emma to her own devices, the blasted woman began her apology in a rambling rush. Regina tuned most of it out, only half-listening to Emma's long-winded speech, which could be summarized as such:

Emma was sorry.  _Deeply_  sorry. She would grovel and beg at Regina's feet for her forgiveness (which thankfully, she did not literally attempt to do). She would have come earlier to apologize, but she figured that the best apology would probably be to get out of Regina's sight, which Regina inwardly agreed with. She didn't mean to hurt Regina. She didn't know it was Robin's wife! To which Regina had coolly interrupted to ask what Emma would have done if she had known, and watched with a sort of detached amusement as Emma fumbled with her speech, her brain frantically attempting mental gymnastics as she struggled with what her reply should be. Eventually, she gave up and her apology sputtered to a stop, and Emma looked mournfully at Regina. "I am sorry. Really sorry. Please, Regina, you have to believe me."

Right now, all Regina wanted to do was to slam the door in Emma's face. But it would gain her nothing, just the satisfaction of Emma's dejected face, and Henry would be upset. So in the end Regina sighed and offered an olive branch, because Henry loved the woman in front of her, and Regina would do anything to make sure Henry stayed happy. "You're the Savior. It's in your nature to save. You're always going to save Marian whether you knew she was Robin's wife or not. Maybe it was always meant to be this way."

Emma's face lit up with cautious hope. "Does that mean you forgive me?"

"No. But at least I'm not going to slam you against another wall." She paused for a moment, letting Emma think that she's off the hook for a moment, before continuing. "Not for this, anyway."

"What?"

"You owe me another apology, Ms. Swan. Or did you think I forgot about your little stunt, planning to permanently take Henry away from Storybrooke?"

Emma cringed. "About that…"

"Mark my words, Ms. Swan. Against my better judgment, I am letting you take Henry back to New York. But only for these couple of days, to get everything in order. Henry wants to come back here to Storybrooke, to me, to the rest of his family. If you keep him away from us, a simple town barrier isn't going to stop me from coming after you, and this time, I'll do more damage than a tiny wall toss."

Emma nodded fervently. "I know. And I'm sorry for that too, to both you and Henry. I... I just lost my way for a moment. I know Storybrooke is home now, for both me and Henry. I  _will_  bring Henry back, I promise. And while we're on the topic of New York, I don't think I ever thanked you. For giving me and Henry such perfect memories, for letting me experience what it would be like if I had kept Henry and raised him. Henry told me much of our fake memories were modified from the real ones you shared with him. So thank you, for sharing your memories with me. Although was he really such a bratty toddler? I thought the 'terrible twos' was a myth."

"Oh he definitely was a brat during that age." Animosity forgotten for a moment, they smiled at each other as they remembered their son's antics through their shared memories.

* * *

After Henry and Emma left, Tinkerbell dragged Regina out for lunch and then shopping. True to her word, Regina brought her to all the thrift stores around Storybrooke that still sold good quality clothes. Tinkerbell pretty much went wild choosing outfits, and despite missing Henry Regina had been swept along with her enthusiasm, purchasing some outfits that caught her eye too.

Henry called her when he reached New York, and he chatted excitedly to her about all the awesome photos he took on the way that he was going to show her when he got back, and how he was definitely enjoying the respite from the low temperatures in Storybrooke. The voice of her son chipped away at the numbness that had gathered in Regina's chest, but also made her miss him all the more, and her heart ached while talking to him.

Evening came, and Regina stepped inside the Charmings' home, apple pie in hand, for she had been invited over for dinner tonight. She was immediately barred from entering the kitchen by a determined David, who insisted that he was going to cook – for the woman who gave birth to his wonderful baby son and the woman who risked everything to protect said baby son.

Snow and Regina settled on the living room couch, Neal sleeping peacefully in his crib. "I wasn't aware your husband knew how to cook."

Snow smiled, a conspiratorial look in her eyes. "He doesn't. Maybe instant ramen, but that's probably the extent of his cooking skills."

"Oh? Then why is he in there then…" Regina trailed off to the sound of oil splatters from the kitchen, and a quickly smothered yelp of pain. A smell that does not distinctly smell aromatic drifted to them from the kitchen.

"Have you ever tried dissuading him from doing something he is absolutely insistent that he wants to do? He refuses to listen to me! Don't worry," Snow nudged her and whispered, "I have a backup."

Later, after Regina used her magic to clean up the mess in the kitchen, and Snow banned David from ever entering the kitchen again, Ruby arrived, dropping off takeout from Granny's with a wink at Snow, and dinner was at last served.

When dinner was finished, they gathered once more at the living room in front of the televison, where an action movie Regina couldn't remember the name of was playing. Regina sat back on the couch with the Charmings, holding Neal in her arms. David made some comment about the premise of the movie and they were all quickly drawn into a debate, and through it all the baby slept, content and safe in Regina's arms.

It was a picture perfect moment, and Regina wondered why even with the fire crackling in the hearth and the warmth of family and love surrounding her, she still couldn't bring herself to feel happy, and her chest felt so cold, like a thousand ice needles piercing into her heart.


	11. Chapter 11

A few days had passed since Henry and Emma's departure to New York, and even though Henry called back daily, Regina still went through each day missing her son terribly. Thankfully her heart had given her a reprieve these days, not physically hurting as much, but instead all she felt was numbness and a cold chill.

The sun was setting, and through the windows it casted a warm glow into Archie's office, where Regina was sitting ramrod straight on the couch as Archie sat in the armchair opposite her. It was therapy time again, and the agenda for today's session was to talk about how she had been coping since Henry left.

Archie had spent the entire session prodding at her, and still he wasn't done. He tapped his notepad with his pen, frowning down at it, before lifting his gaze up to her again. "This isn't just about you missing Henry though. You're also worried that he won't come back."

"Don't be ridiculous, I know he will. As angry as I am with Emma, I know she's sincere about her promise to bring Henry back. And Henry promised to come back too."

"Knowing that doesn't stop the worry though. Why, Regina?"

"I told you, I'm not worried," Regina denied.

Archie put his pen and notepad aside and leaned forward toward her. "Regina, we do this almost every therapy session. You deny something, and I have to keep pushing and prodding you until you finally talk. You have to learn how to open up to me."

She sighed. "I know. It's just difficult for me to talk about this, because all my life it had been told to me, over and over again by my mother and later Rumpelstiltskin, that I should never display my weaknesses because others will exploit it."

"You know that I'll never exploit you."

"Yes, I do know that. But the habits of a lifetime are sometimes hard to break."

He smiled encouragingly at her. "You have to try."

She nodded, closing her eyes for a moment as she sorted through her thoughts, choosing her next words carefully. "In my life, everyone I've ever cared for or loved had left me eventually. I guess I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop, and for Henry to leave me too, like Daniel and my mother and …"

She trailed off, and Archie completed her sentence for her. "Robin." The name hung like a dead weight between them. It wasn't the first time they had talked about Robin during these sessions, but every time they spoke of him was still difficult for Regina, as there was a whole mess of emotions to sort through – guilt, despair, anger, grief and a hundred other things. She didn't know if she could talk about Robin today, already feeling much too raw after nearly an hour of talking about missing Henry.

"Zelena too." She couldn't stop a soft sigh from escaping her lips at her sister's name.

Thankfully, Archie allowed the change in subject. "You miss her."

She shook her head, smiling bitterly. "Not quite that. But she was the last one alive of my blood family. When I told her I was giving her a second chance, it wasn't just about her redemption. It was a second chance for us too, to maybe build something together out of the ruins that was our mother's legacy to us. I thought she understood, I thought she was going to take the second chance. Protesting every step of the way that I left her no choice of course, but I still thought she was going to take it. Instead, she used the last bit of magic she had to kill herself."

Archie nodded understandingly at her, silently indicating for her to go on.

"It doesn't make sense, Archie. Why would she do it? Zelena is a fighter. Even from our limited interaction, I can tell that it is not like her to give up at all, she'll fight until the bitter end. I just don't understand why she would…"

Regina suddenly stopped mid-sentence, as something occurred to her.

"You have to let go, Regina. Grieve for her, but then let her go. You'll never know the reasons for why she chose the road she did, but you can't keep holding on to the past."

Regina didn't hear what Archie just said though. She was remembering the moment when they found out about Zelena's suicide, and in her mind, new connections were being made between the unlikelihood of Zelena killing herself and how shifty a certain imp was acting back then, something she had ignored then because they had a portal to worry about, but now on hindsight...

"Rumpelstiltskin," she whispered.

"What?" Archie asked in confusion at her non-sequitur.

Regina ignored him. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense that Rumpelstiltskin had something to do with Zelena's death. He wanted to kill her back at the barn, and Rumpelstiltskin wasn't one to give up just because something he wanted was denied from him once. The security camera did record Zelena's suicide, but video tapes could be very easily tampered with by magic, and the excuse about the dagger was almost too convenient. Regina knew Rumpelstiltskin, and she knew that as much as he loved Belle, he loved control and manipulation even more, and switching the dagger on Belle would have been child's play to him.

Regina stood up abruptly. "I'm sorry, Archie, I'm going to have to cut our session short and leave now. I just remembered something I need to do."

Archie hurriedly got to his feet too. "Wait, what? Regina, what's going on? Where are you going?"

She gave him a grim smile. "Retrieving something from the Sheriff's office." She didn't give him any time to reply. With a swirl of purple smoke, Regina was gone from Archie's office.

* * *

Regina teleported straight to the Sheriff's office. She pushed open the door leading to the interior, calling for David, but instead of his answering reply there was the sudden cessation of conversation and a mad scrambling of feet. It wasn't just David that was inside the office, but Robin and Hook too.

"Regina!" Both David and Robin exclaimed, shocked at her sudden arrival, while Hook just looked mildly interested, continuing to stack his feet up on the desk while flipping through a magazine.

Regina lost her train of thought for a moment, seeing Robin for the first time in weeks after their devastating farewell at her house. He looked haggard, like he hadn't been getting enough sleep, and she wondered what was keeping him awake, if it was the same thing that kept her awake too.

She couldn't stop herself from asking, "What are you doing here?" She immediately remembered why though. Emma was gone and the Sheriff's department was short-staffed as a result, and together with there being more people in town and hence an increase in petty crime such as thievery and vandalism, David was getting overwhelmed. Robin obviously couldn't remain being unemployed, and so Regina had recommended that David offer him a job. So Robin had started his first day of work today, something she should have remembered thanks to Evelyn's daily reports, but the possibility of Rumpelstiltskin's duplicity had chased everything else out of her mind.

She waved away David's explanation even as she tried to ignore Robin's burning gaze on her, as though he's trying to drink in her image like a thirsty man at the desert. "I remember now. What about the pirate? Shouldn't he be with Emma in New York?"

David looked vaguely discomfited at the reminder of Hook's relationship with Emma. Surprisingly, Hook did too, and he fumbled through an explanation on how he wouldn't blend in while in New York so Emma had told him in stay in Storybrooke, and he was now helping David out temporarily. The explanation didn't ring true and it sounded like there might already be trouble in paradise, but Regina had no interest in gossip and speculation, particularly of Emma and Hook.

Turning to David, purposely ignoring Robin beside him, she was about to ask him for the video tape when Robin spoke. "Regina, I've been meaning to talk to you. I just want to thank you for helping my camp of merry men settle down in Storybrooke. We were at a complete loss and we owe everything to you."

She had turned to him at the sound of his voice, and now her eyes were caught up in the sincere gaze of his blue orbs, which were sucking her in like a vortex, and her mouth was dry. She tried to brush off his gratitude. "I'm just doing my job as the mayor."

"No, you have gone above and beyond duty in arranging everything for us, and I know you were the one who recommended me for this job. All these really mean a lot to me. Thank you." He made an aborted movement, as if he wanted to reach out to her, maybe to grip her hands or hug her or maybe even kiss her, but then had remembered their changed situation. Regina had flinched away from him when he first moved, and now there was resignation and longing in his eyes, and still she could not tear her eyes away from him.

David and Hook hung around awkwardly at the edge of her peripheral vision, and she knew they were watching the interplay between her and Robin, eyes flitting rapidly between both of them as if they were watching a tennis match. It was time to put a stop to this conversation before she and Robin made a spectacle of themselves, or said things they shouldn't. Luckily, Regina knew just the thing to say.

"You're welcome. I hope your men andyour _wife_  are settling down well."

Robin reared back from her as if punched. He blinked slowly, as if trying to clear a fog from his mind. "Yes. Yes, they're all doing fine, and they're all very grateful for your help too."

"I'm sure they feel grateful to the Evil Queen,  _especially_  your wife."

Robin opened his mouth to protest, but David cleared his throat before enquiring in a too-loud voice. "So, why are you here Regina? You don't usually visit our office."

Regina was grateful for the distraction he provided, and also reminded of her actual task here. Turning to David, she ordered, "I want you to give me the video tape that recorded Zelena's death."

David lifted his brows, surprised at her request. "You know I'm not supposed to give it to you. The security tapes should never leave this office, those are the rules."

She would not be deterred by a simple thing like rules, not in this town that she created. She gave a soft sigh. "I just want to look at the recording again, in the privacy of my own house. After all, it is the only thing I have left of my sister."

David visibly softened, but still he hesitated, so she told him to hurry up, with a quick glance at Robin. "Just give it to me, David. I promise to bring it back. Stop wasting my time, I have better things to do than stand here waiting."

David had seen her look over at Robin, and interpreted it as her wanting to get out of Robin's presence as quickly as possible. He gave a quick nod. "I'll go find it immediately."  _Mission accomplished_ , Regina thought to herself. David opened a drawer, flipping through the tapes there before finding the correct one, and he passed it over to her.

The moment Regina took the video tape, she sent a pulse of magic into it. As suspected, she felt the answering thrum of another magic signature within it, one as familiar to her as her own. Rumpelstiltskin  _did_  tamper with the tape and Regina could feel rage starting to build up inside her. She struggled to keep it in.

"Regina? Is everything alright?" Robin asked, looking at her with concern. Before she could answer him, or maybe just leave without replying, the doors opened once again and Rumpelstiltskin himself walked in.

* * *

Robin surveyed everyone in the office warily, every part of him on high alert even if he didn't have any clue where the danger was. But something was definitely wrong, in the enraged twist on Regina's face when her hands had first touched the video tape, to the hostile glare she threw at the Dark One when he waltzed in. Tension radiated out of her, although to everyone else who wasn't staring as intently as he was at Regina, it might not be as obvious.

Regina's hands clutched the tape with a white knuckled grip, before she turned slightly to one side, out of sight of Rumpelstiltskin, and shoved the tape into her bag. Robin moved between her and Rumpelstiltskin, helping to block his view, and instinctively also wanting to protect Regina, even if he knew Regina could take care of herself, and probably stood a far better chance against Rumpelstiltskin than himself.

Rumpelstiltskin glanced dismissively around the room, sneering at Hook along the way, who sneered back. He addressed the room at large. "Throwing a party in here? Although it is good that everybody is here, this saves me the trouble of having to make multiple trips."

"Are you in the habit of making social calls now?" Hook joked, uncaring of the murderous glare Rumpelstiltskin threw at him even as David spoke over him. "Rumpelstiltskin, this is a surprise. Is there something wrong?"

"We have a new problem in town."

David rubbed his hand over his face tiredly. "Of course we do. What problem is it now?"

"This weather phenomenon that we're having, the unusually cold temperatures, it's unnatural in origin."

That got everyone's attention. "You're sure?" Robin asked.

Rumpelstiltskin didn't roll his eyes, but the irritated glance he threw at Robin definitely conveyed the same sentiment. "Yes, I am sure. This is definitely not just a quirk of Maine weather. Belle did some checks on the weather around Storybrooke on the internet, it's completely different. Whatever weather anomaly we have here, it's unique to Storybrooke. This can only be due to magical means."

David sighed. "Fantastic. At least we got a couple weeks of peace this time. What sort of magic is this?"

"Before I elaborate, I have one question for the pirate." Looking at Hook, Rumpelstiltskin asked, "When you and Emma went back to the past, you said I sent you into the vault where I keep the magic that is dark or unpredictable. Did you touch anything while you were there?"

Looking vaguely shifty, Hook admitted, "I might have picked some things here and there. What does this have to do with anything?"

So did you happen to move a heavy bronze urn that is kept tightly locked, with runes around the entire surface of its lid?"

Hook shrugged. "So what if I did? What else was there to do, sit and turn into a fossil? Look, mate, if you didn't want us touching anything, maybe you shouldn't have trapped us in there in the first place. That was pretty stupid of you, we could have wrecked havoc in there. You have only yourself to blame for your missing urn."

Hook did have a point. Although Robin didn't know whether to be impressed at his guts or rolling eyes at his stupidity in arguing with a Dark One who clearly loathed him.

Rumpelstiltskin pointed one long finger at Hook, enunciating every word carefully and menacingly. "You are skating on very dangerous ice, pirate. Don't forget that I can kill you any moment I want."

Regina spoke up suddenly, the first time she had said anything since Rumpelstiltskin walked in. "No you can't, because dear Belle has your dagger, and she will curb any homicidal tendencies you have, right?

Rumpelstiltskin's head whipped around to glare at her. "What are you implying?" They held eye contact for a moment, challenging each other silently.

Regina smirked at him. "Why are you so defensive? I was merely making sure that Hook knows it is an empty threat. Although I have to say that now, I am intrigued. What is in that bronze urn?"

Rumpelstiltskin replied, "Not what, but who. It's someone with very powerful magic, capable of manipulating the climates of entire kingdoms and realms."

"You think that Ms. Swan and the pirate released this person from the urn, and they're causing the cold weather here now? That's incredibly strong magic. It took almost everything in me to create and maintain a microclimate in a small dome. To actually manipulate the weather of an entire town like this has to be near impossible."

"Why are you so certain it is this person? Maybe it's someone else?" David asked Rumpelstiltskin.

Rumpelstiltskin looked gravely at each of them before answering. "Because she'd done this before in her own realm. There, they call her the Snow Queen."

It was by virtue of Robin's undivided attention on Regina that he saw her eyes light up with recognition at the mention of this Snow Queen, but her reaction was seen by Robin alone, as the others were busy talking about the new problem.

David clarified, "The Snow Queen from the Hans Christian Anderson story?"

"You know by now that these are never just stories. The Snow Queen does exist, just in a separate realm from our Enchanted Forest. She has incredibly strong magic, almost limitless potential, but little control. A century ago, she cursed her land to an eternal winter in a tantrum, and afterwards, would not listen to reason. Had I not neutralized her and trapped her into the urn, she would have turned all other realms into winter too, such was the extent of her powers. Now, thanks to the itchy fingers of the pirate, she has been released again. If you all don't want us to be cursed into an eternal winter, you will help me find and capture her."

Regina laughed cynically. "How altruistic of you, trapping her to save entire realms from winter."

Rumpelstiltskin smirked at her. "I try to do a good deed every day, dearie."

Regina smirked back at him. "I know you, Rumple, and therefore, I can guess at what actually happened. You saw opportunity in her limitless magic. You tried to manipulate her to do what you want. Maybe you even tried to get her to cast the Dark Curse for you. But her control over her magic is too unpredictable for you, and when you couldn't handle her, that's when you trapped her. You're afraid of her." A wealth of experience and remembrance was in Regina's voice, and Robin knew she was thinking of Rumpelstiltskin's own manipulation of her, and he felt rage on her behalf.

Rumpelstiltskin glared at Regina. "Don't be silly, I am never afraid."

"By your own description she's powerful. Probably even more powerful than you. And now she's pissed off at you, for a very good reason I must say. You're afraid she'll come after you, and you won't be able to defeat her. That's the only reason why you're seeking help from us. But why should I help you? This is not my mess, I wasn't the one who trapped her, nor am I the ones who released her."

"Can I remind you that the time travel portal was only activated because you granted clemency to Zelena, allowing her to later kill herself and have her untethered locket reactivate it?" Rumpelstiltskin pointed out.

It was as though a dark storm cloud manifested in the office, and an oppressive feeling took over the room much like the air on the eve of a thunderstorm. Robin could feel every strand of his hair stand on end.

"How dare you." Regina's eyes narrowed, and she took one threatening step toward Rumpelstiltskin, to everyone's alarm. A battle between the two strongest magic practitioners in town was probably high on the list of things the Sheriff's department should try to prevent. Robin turned to face Regina, trying to catch her eye and calm her down, and it worked somewhat, Regina unclenching her hand and stepping back, although rage still simmered under the surface of her skin.

"Well well, you're in a bad mood today. Still upset over losing lover-boy here?" With a lazy wave of his hand, Rumpelstiltskin indicated Robin, who tensed. He didn't know how Rumpelstiltskin knew what happened between him and Regina, but then again, the Dark One always had an eerie ability to know everything that's going on. Rumpelstiltskin continued talking, "Although I think you have other things to worry about now, dearie."

Regina shook her head, still glaring daggers at Rumpelstiltskin. "I already said I am not helping you."

Rumpelstiltskin smiled in delight, and his entire face was alight with glee. "You don't even know what I'm talking about, do you?"

There was pure venom in Regina's voice as she replied. "Cut the crap, Rumpelstiltskin."

"I'll give you a hint, dearie. Consider it my good deed of the day. That pain in your chest? It's unnatural too." He shrugged. "That's unfortunately all you're getting out of me, though, since you're being so uncooperative."

Alarm bells rang in Robin's head. He glanced sharply at Regina. "Pain in your chest? What is he talking about?"

David echoed his worry, "Regina, is there something you should be telling us?"

Regina had stilled, struck frozen for a moment, but she rapidly lurched back into motion. "Standard diversionary tactic, I expected better of you, Rumpelstiltskin. Even if I wanted to help you, which I don't, what can I do? She's lying low right now, or else she would have announced her presence long ago. Do you even know where she is?"

It occurred to Robin that Regina was using the same tactic. He wanted to pursue the previous topic further, but the conversation had already moved beyond it, although David's worried look told him that he hadn't forgotten it either.

Regina was talking about tracking spells right now. "To track her, you will need something that belongs to her. I doubt you have anything like that."

"That's not quite true."

"You keep hunting trophies now?"

"Have you learned nothing from me about technicalities? She was Queen of her realm, any object from her kingdom belongs to her and can be used in a modified tracking spell."

"That kind of tracking spell is far too general, you'll get everyone from the actual owner to his landlord."

It was intriguing how quickly Regina and Rumpelstiltskin fell back into a mentor-mentee relationship, when just a few minutes ago they were all but snarling at each other. It was frankly quite fascinating to watch, which was why the rest of them had said nothing so far, having nothing to contribute to this conversation about the inner workings of magic.

"Fortunately she is the only one from her realm here, so we won't have that problem."

"Unfortunately you must have hit a snag in that plan, since you still don't know where she is."

Rumpelstiltskin sighed, and Robin was surprised to see that he was actually looking slightly sheepish. "There are almost certainly some objects from her realm that are in my shop, but I've collected so many things over the centuries that to actually find something specific would be extremely difficult and time-consuming."

Robin tried to stay optimistic. "That's at least one method, it's better than nothing." It was clearly not optimal though, and Robin wasn't really looking forward to having to search Rumpelstiltskin's shop for an unknown object from an unknown realm. Well, maybe he was looking forward to the ransacking part, if only so that he could pilfer more things from the Dark One. Regina raised her eyebrow at him, as if to tell him that she knew what he was thinking, and unrepentant, he grinned at her. It was a moment of shared camaraderie, quickly snuffed when they remembered where they stand now, and embarrassed, they looked away from one another.

"We can ask Jefferson!" David suddenly exclaimed. Everyone turned their attention back to him.

"What about him?" Rumpelstiltskin said even as Hook asked, "Who's this Jefferson?" Robin echoed Hook's question.

David elaborated, "He's a realm hopper. He used to have this hat that allowed him to go to any realm that has magic. He might have visited the realm of the Snow Queen before. If he did, he could help us identify which objects were from there. Maybe he might even have something from that place."

Rumpelstiltskin looked reluctantly impressed. "That's actually a good idea."

David picked his coat up from the chair. "I'll go talk to Jefferson right away."

Regina stopped him from leaving. "No, wait, you don't have to. I will go talk to him."

Robin and the rest turned to regard Regina in varying amounts of shock. Earlier Regina was asking why she should be helping, and now she was suddenly volunteering to help. There had to be more than just that though, Robin thought, from the open surprise on Rumpelstiltskin's face – he clearly didn't expect Regina to volunteer for  _this_  in particular, and his next words confirmed that.

"I wasn't aware that you are back on speaking terms with Jefferson."

"You aren't aware of it because it is none of your business, imp."

"Right," David interrupted before Regina and Rumpelstiltskin started arguing again. "That'll be great. I know the two of you have been hanging out frequently at the Rabbit Hole recently, it does make more sense for you to talk to him."

From his men, Robin knew that this Rabbit Hole place is a bar. A bar where Regina and this man had been hanging out with. Robin was feeling to get an uneasy feeling about this mysterious realm hopper named Jefferson, who Regina seemed to know a little too well. "Wait, who is this guy again?"

Ignoring David's input and Robin's confusion, Rumpelstiltskin continued his conversation with Regina. "I am surprised. After everything you and Jefferson have done to each other, you're best friends again?"

"Because he's actually repentant about what he did to me, unlike you." Regina retorted back at Rumpelstiltskin.

"He expresses some remorse about past deeds and you fall for his charms again? I thought you would have learnt from your mistakes. But then again, I guess sometimes old flames never quite go away."

Robin's mind screeched to a halt.

_What?_ Abruptly he opened his mouth and asked Regina, "Was he your lover?"

Regina's head whipped over to him, mouth open at this uncharacteristically indiscreet and blatant statement from him. "This is none of your business too."

But there was a lion tattoo on his wrist that made it his business, and Robin felt jealousy build within him. "I say it is."

Regina's eyes burned with indignant fury. "You have no right."

"Um guys, we're getting sidetracked here. Let's get back on topic." David, ever playing the role of peacekeeper, tried to turn the conversation back to ways of neutralizing the Snow Queen.

Rumpelstiltskin, on the other hand, seemed like he was enjoying the situation, looking as if he wanted to rub his hands in glee. He addressed Robin, "Careful your baby blues don't turn green, Archer. Although the question shouldn't be if Jefferson was her lover, it's whether he  _is_  her lover again."

There was delight in Rumpelstiltskin's voice as he dug the figurative knife further in and twisted it, and Robin felt a jealous rage build within him at the implicit confirmation that Regina and this Jefferson guy were indeed lovers before, and at the implication that they might have resumed their past relationship, even if he knew he had no right to be jealous about this, not when he had left Regina for Marian. He couldn't help it though.

"Just who is this Jefferson," Robin grounded out through gritted teeth, and a tiny part of him thought that if his skin could change colors, he would probably be as green as Zelena right now.

Cold steel was in Regina's voice as she addressed both him and Rumpelstiltskin. "My personal life is none of your business, any of you, and I would not stand here and be interrogated on it when we have a problem to take care of. Now, I'll go talk to Jefferson, and the rest of you men can either find something else useful to do, or you can just stand here and speculate." She stalked off through the doors, leaving them swinging with the force of her exit.

With Regina gone, Robin could only turn to David for answers. "What is the nature of this man's relationship with Regina?"

David was caught in the middle. "I don't know."

Robin knew he was being completely irrational and rude, but he didn't care. All he knew was that there was a man named Jefferson who was once Regina's lover, and he was getting close to Regina again. Gripping David's shirt, he asked again. "You clearly know more than me."

"Hey, easy there mate." Hook tugged him away from David.

"Don't touch me! Will someone just tell me, who is Jefferson?"

"He's just an old friend of Regina," David insisted.

Rumpelstiltskin obligingly answered Robin's question though. "More than that, dearie, more than that. As I said, he's her ex-lover. They go back a long, long way. Decades. He was useful to me at first, but then they started their whole affair and he became such a big distraction to her magic studies. Looks like it might be starting up again. It seems like she still can't resist his charms. And I guess she's vulnerable right now and aching for company. Just like old times."

Robin growled, low in his throat, and Rumpelstiltskin smirked at him, enjoying his rage. He left Robin to stew in it, addressing David. "I'll continue searching my shop for any objects from the Snow Queen's realm. Meanwhile, my prince, you should consider finding other employees for your department. One of them is a pirate who helped Cora terrorize the town, and the other is a thief who flies into jealous fits and can't even keep his mind on the job." With that parting shot, he disappeared from the office.

Robin tried, and failed, to unclench his hands. "I'm going to find this Jefferson guy right now."

David grabbed his arm, preventing him from leaving. "Regina is already on her way to talk to him."

"Precisely."

"Stop this very instant." The tone of authority was obvious, and in that moment, Robin remembered that David ruled alongside Snow White. He also remembered how protective the prince could be of Regina, how much he viewed her as part of his family. "Look, Robin, all I know about Regina and Jefferson is that they do know each other for a very long time. Other than that I have no idea what Regina's relationship with Jefferson was, or is. But she is right. You made your choice, and now you have no right interfering with her personal affairs. I will not allow you to hurt her again. Do you understand?"

Robin nodded his head jerkily, stepping back. David started outlining his plans for increased patrols to search for the Snow Queen, and Robin tried to focus and participate in the discussion, but he couldn't, because every part of him was still wondering about this man who was once Regina's lover.

In Robin's mind, the Snow Queen wasn't the problem. Jefferson was.


	12. Chapter 12

Archie was worried about Regina. Usually after therapy, Regina would linger for a little while in his office, both of them engaging in some small talk to dispel the tension and ease back into their friendship after a grueling session. Today, though, Regina had left his office abruptly with no explanation after having what looked like an epiphany. Archie had no idea what she had realized then, but judging from the look on her face just before she disappeared, it couldn't be anything good.

He had tried to call Regina immediately afterwards, but she had ignored all his phone calls, so grabbing his belongings, he had left his office in a hurry. He walked quickly down the street, making a beeline for the last place Regina had mentioned – the Sheriff's office. The sun had set, and without its warm rays, the temperatures had dropped even further, and Archie hunched his shoulders and jammed his gloved hands into the pockets of his coat as he hurried along in the evening twilight. His gut instinct told him that something was terribly wrong and he had to find Regina as quickly as possible, so he kept a rapid pace, eyes on a constant lookout in hopes that he would catch a glimpse of Regina.

In the end, he felt Regina's presence, much like an approaching thunderstorm, long before he saw her.

Across the street, Regina stalked angrily in the opposite direction. People walking on the sidewalk scrambled away out of her way, for the look in her face was as dark as thunder, almost reminiscent of the former Evil Queen, and Archie wasn't surprised to see that no one was willing to risk her wrath.

Anyone with any sense of self-preservation would stay well out of her path.

With a quick glance to make sure there were no cars, Archie jogged across the road toward Regina, ignoring the incredulous looks shot his way as he caught up with the fuming Mayor. Regina was either ignoring him or too deep in her thoughts to notice him, so he laid a tentative hand on her shoulder to get her attention, all the while praying that this would not be his last action alive.

Regina turned around quickly, snarling and with a hand raised as if to blast him away, and he dropped his hand from her shoulder and backed away quickly, mouth gaping open in shock at the murderous expression in her eyes.

"Regina, what's wrong?" He exclaimed, hands raised in a conciliatory manner. "You left our session abruptly and I was worried." He studied her closely. "Are you… are you alright?"

Her eyes were wild with rage and something that looked suspiciously close to grief, and she was clearly struggling for control over her emotions. She snapped at him. "Leave me alone, Archie, you already had your one hour of therapy today." Without waiting for his reply, she turned and started walking away from him.

Archie wasn't willing to let the matter rest so easily though, not when Regina was so clearly troubled. He ran after her. "Regina, wait!"

She whirled around again, eyes flashing, and growled at him. "Which part of 'leave me alone' do you not understand? I am at the very end of my tether right now, Archie, one wrong move by anyone and I will not be blamed for what happens next." Electricity crackled in the air, without a doubt a physical manifestation of the turmoil that Regina was feeling right now, and anyone would have been cowed at the sight of it, fearful of what a Regina on the warpath would do to them.

Archie stopped being afraid of Regina a long time ago though.

He gave her what he hoped was a soothing and understanding smile as he walked beside her, keeping pace with her rapid footsteps. "Let me help you then. That's exactly what I'm here for, isn't it, Regina?"

Amazingly, his matter-of-fact tone actually helped calm Regina down just a little, even if the look in her eyes informed him that he was still in a precarious position. Archie felt fearless though, and bowled on in a conversational tone as if he wasn't talking her down from a murderous rampage. "So what happened? I gathered this has something to do with Zelena, but what is the connection between that and the Sheriff's office, which by the way you're walking in the opposite direction of?"

Initially Regina looked like she wasn't going to answer his questions, having to tolerate his presence the very limit of what she was willing to do. She changed her mind after a moment of silence though, replying him tersely. "I'm done with my business there. As for the rest of your questions, follow me and I'll explain when we reach Jefferson's house."

"Jefferson's house?" Archie wondered out loud.

Regina glared at him. "And keep quiet, I'm letting you come with me but one more word from you and I'll spell you lips shut."

Knowing she meant what she said, he walked on beside her in silence, bursting to the brim with questions but knowing he had to wait until Regina was ready for his curiosity to be sated.

* * *

When they reached Jefferson's residence, Regina strode up to the front door, where she didn't bother with knocking or ringing the doorbell. Over Archie's protest, she unlocked the door with a mere wave of her hand and walked straight in.

Jefferson was with his daughter Grace in their kitchen preparing dinner, and they both startled and yelped in surprise at his and Regina's sudden appearance in their home. Recovering from his shock, Jefferson yelled, "Regina? What the hell! You can't just barge into my house like that! And Archie, you too? I expected better of you than to be swept up in her nonsense."

Archie flattened himself against the wall, shrugging helplessly at the enraged man. He had no idea what he was doing here too.

Regina's response to Jefferson's rant was curt and to the point. "I need to speak to you and Archie right now, alone. Send your daughter to her other parents, she doesn't need to hear this."

Father and daughter both wore identical looks of protest. Arms crossed, Jefferson growled at Regina, "You don't get to order where my daughter goes."

To Regina's credit, she did make an effort to soften her face, trying for a reassuring smile at Grace before she turned her attention back to Jefferson again, trying to speak in a more measured tone. "I am asking you to send your daughter away for her safety, because what I'm about to tell you isn't meant for her ears. Unless you would like her to go up against Rumpelstiltskin too."

That got Archie's interest. He remembered Regina whispering Rumpelstiltskin's name in a tone of extreme loathing just before she left his office. He couldn't resist asking, "Rumpelstiltskin? Just what is going on, Regina?"

Jefferson's eyebrows rose even further. "You don't even know what's going on, Archie?"

Regina ignored their questions. With a jerk of her head at Grace, she merely said, "As I said, as long as your daughter here, I'm not giving any explanation to either of you."

Archie tried to defuse the situation before it deteriorated into a heated argument between Regina and Jefferson. "Jefferson, I'm sure Regina has a good reason for our unannounced visit. Let's listen to her first, shall we?"

Jefferson scoffed loudly. "You have got to be kidding me. You know what, this is ridiculous. My house, my rules. Both of you get out."

"Jefferson, please," Archie pleaded. He nodded beseechingly at Jefferson before tilting his head at Regina. Something had clearly upset her, and it would do no good to antagonize her now. He could only hope that Jefferson understood everything he left unspoken in his plea.

Jefferson regarded him for a while, before looking back at Regina, both of them locked in a silent battle of wills. Jefferson finally nodded, even if it was with extreme reluctance, and Archie breathed a sigh of relief.

* * *

Jefferson took Grace to her other parents over her protests, and Archie was left alone with Regina in the house. She continued to ignore his questioning looks though, instead, she took a video tape out of her bag. She held it in a white knuckled grip for a long moment as she stared stonily at it, before waving her other hand over it, and Archie felt a tingle and the faint shimmer of magic in the air.

"Regina, what did you just do?" He asked, not really expecting a reply, and was surprised when Regina actually offered an explanation. "Rumpelstiltskin tampered with the tape. I merely undid his magic."

"He tampered with the tape? Why would he do that?"

Regina didn't get the time to answer though, because Jefferson came back right at that moment. He slammed the door shut and strode right up into Regina's space. "So what is it? You better make this good. Because now Grace is angry with me too, thanks to you, and you better have a good reason for barging into my home and ordering me and my daughter around."

"It will be. But first, do you have a video tape player?" She indicated the video tape in her hand.

"That ancient thing? I haven't used it in years, I don't even know if it still works. And what does this have to do with anything?"

Regina thrust the tape in Jefferson's direction, ordering him to stop wasting her time and get it working. Jefferson looked about ready to argue again, and Archie once again had to step in to defuse the situation. Eventually Jefferson took the tape, with a sarcastic flourish of his arms that Regina ignored. That to Archie was a big confirmation as to how upset Regina was right now, and the surprised glance Jefferson threw Archie's way told him he wasn't the only one who noticed it.

Now realizing the gravity of the situation, Jefferson worked quickly on setting up the video tape player. It made an awful whirring noise, but thankfully it still worked, and a grainy image of Zelena in her prison cell appeared. Regina took the remote control from Jefferson and fast forwarded through most of it as Zelena sat alone on her mattress, staring into the wall.

The shadow of another person suddenly appeared in the recording, and Regina slowed the tape back to normal speed. It was Rumpelstiltskin, and together, the three of them watched the scene play out with no dialogue, just like the silent films of the 1900s. Rumpelstiltskin and Zelena had what looked like a heated discussion, then he pulled out a very familiar looking dagger, and teleported himself through the bars into Zelena's cell as she backed against the wall in fear. Clinically, he stabbed Zelena in the chest, even as she gaped up at him with shock apparent in her eyes even in the low resolution of the recording.

Archie's jaw dropped at this display of cold-blooded murder, and he had to lean against the wall for support. He breathed out, "That was what you realized just now at my office. Zelena didn't kill herself, it was Rumpelstiltskin who…"

"Murdered her." Regina's voice was tight with fury and her hands were tightly clenched. Archie glanced over at Jefferson, and saw his worry reflected in the other man's eyes. This was bad. He had no idea what Regina would do. Here was the evidence that Rumpelstiltskin killed Zelena, Regina's last blood relative. Even if there was no love lost between the two sisters, it was one more strike against Rumpelstiltskin, who had orchestrated Cora's death too. Not to mention that it was Zelena's death which triggered the reopening of the time portal and led to the return of Robin Hood's wife.

The repercussions of this would be huge, and not just for Regina herself.

Not many knew it, but Archie considered Belle a good friend. There were both gentle introverted souls, and both had spent many afternoons together in the library chatting about books. Belle had confided in him her happiness at Rumpelstiltskin proposing to her with his dagger, at the implicit trust he had shown her when he gave her the one object that could control him, and the joy in her face as she asked him to officiate their wedding had been incandescent.

He had been so happy for his dear friend then, and to find out now that Belle's marriage was built on a lie of such huge proportions was a big shock to him. He didn't know if he should tell Belle or not. He knew he should, because Belle deserved to know the truth, but it was unlikely that Regina would allow him to, for fear that Rumpelstiltskin would suspect that she knew about his duplicity before the time is right. And even if he could tell Belle that the dagger in her possession is fake, it would only cause her to be heartbroken.

Archie was stuck in a dilemma and he was at a loss on what to do, and even what to say.

* * *

Jefferson, too, was shocked speechless at the events depicted in the tape. He shared a helpless look with Archie, who looked similarly gobsmacked.

Before either of them could respond, Regina had one of her mercurial change in moods. Whirling around to Jefferson, who stepped back a little at the angry glint in her eyes, she asked, "Do you have anything from your old realm?"

Jefferson raised an eyebrow at Archie, silently enquiring what he should do.  _Just answer the question even if it didn't make sense_ , Archie's head nod told him, so Jefferson replied. "No, the dark curse brought just me over, nothing else. Why?"

"Nothing at all?" Regina pushed. At his negative answer, she made a noise in frustration, turning to pace the room, before suddenly stopping as a gasp escaped her lips. "That doesn't matter.  _You_  will do." She then smiled very creepily at Jefferson.

Jefferson thought to himself that before this night was over, he was going to share many more looks with Archie, who shrugged his shoulders now, as confused as Jefferson was. Fighting the urge to back away from the manic look in Regina's face, he tentatively asked, "I will do? For what?"

Archie piped up, "Regina, please. Just tell us what's going on and we can solve this together."

Impatiently, Regina informed them in a few short sentences about the talk she had with Rumpelstiltskin and the others about the new threat in town.

Jefferson tried to wrap his head around the story. "Wait, you mean the Snow Queen of my realm is here in Storybrooke? All this time she had been trapped in an urn in Rumpelstiltskin's vault, and she was only freed because she was somehow sucked into the time travel portal?"

"That's exactly what I said, do keep up." Before he could retort, she continued, "I need to find her. All I need for the tracking spell to work is anything from her realm. You are a citizen of her kingdom,  _you_  will do."

_Say what_? Jefferson backed away slowly from Regina. Friends with Regina or not, he's certainly not going to volunteer himself for any ritual. "What the hell. I'm not about to sacrifice myself for some tracking spell to find a girl!"

Regina rolled her eyes, evidently frustrated with his inability to keep up with her, when it was her fault for just giving him bits and pieces of the whole story. "I just need a drop of your blood, you idiot. Your body is worthless for any spell I want to cast."

"You're going to help Rumpelstiltskin find the Snow Queen?" Archie asked next.

Jefferson was glad he wasn't the only one receiving looks from Regina that asked if he was an idiot. "No, of course I'm not helping him. Why would I? No, I want to find her as quickly as possible so that the imp doesn't get to her first."

"Why aren't you helping him? Because he killed your sister?" Jefferson hazarded a guess, still confused.

There was fire in Regina's eyes as she replied. "Precisely. I'm not going to let him kill another person in cold blood, like what he did to my sister. Not when all the Snow Queen did was to have such powerful magic that Rumpelstiltskin wanted to use her to cast his Dark Curse."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jefferson saw Archie close his eyes and sigh, nodding his head slowly, seemingly getting it.

Jefferson still didn't understand though. "But she's dangerous – look at what she did to Arendelle! An eternal winter that persists even after a century, and now she's doing the same thing to Storybrooke too!"

Regina pinched her nose, sighing in frustration. "You said she disappeared at her coronation after her parents died. How old was she then? She couldn't have been more than twenty. She's just a young girl who had been manipulated by Rumpelstiltskin, and now she's in an unfamiliar world where she doesn't know anybody. She's probably feeling scared, confused and alone right now. I know what that feels like."

And Jefferson knew that Regina did know what it felt like, because he had been there with her when Regina was barely older than the Snow Queen, and he had seen how scared, confused and alone she was back then too. He finally understood what Archie had realized earlier, and his eyes met Archie's in a moment of shared grief for the lost girl Regina once was, and who was now trying to save another girl from the same fate.

"Tell us what you need for this spell to work," Jefferson told Regina. He hadn't managed to help Regina back then, instead he had played a part in pushing her into the path of evil and insanity. He had his own amends to make, and it would start with helping Regina find the Snow Queen.

* * *

Hours later, Jefferson stood with Archie in a corner of Regina's vault. After leaving his house, they had headed straight to Regina's vault, where she had buried her head in some old tomes, reading up on how to cast the tracking spell. They hadn't even stopped for dinner along the way. At least Archie had managed to call Marco before he lost reception on his cell phone, telling him that something had cropped up and asking him to walk and feed Pongo, so that was one dinner settled, except theirs still weren't, a hungry Jefferson grumbled to himself.

If he was honest with himself, Jefferson was also feeling a little claustrophobic. The vault wasn't exactly built for gatherings after all. There was very little air circulation since it was underground, and the only source of light and heat was a dim little fire lamp burning in the corner. He fidgeted restlessly, bored out of his mind, as Regina started collecting ingredients to make the relevant potion for the tracking spell. There weren't even chairs to sit on, and he and Archie had to make do with leaning against the wall for some rest instead.

Archie's stomach growled, and the sound echoed and reverberated in the enclosed chamber. He sheepishly scratched his head at Regina's glare.

"Be quiet." Regina grounded out. She had been double- and triple-checking all the ingredients that were gathered on the table, but when that was done, she didn't start mixing things into the glass flask she had ready as Jefferson expected. She leaned forward with her hands flat on the edges of the table, staring at the empty glass flask, and there was hesitation and fear on her face. When he asked her earlier, Regina had reluctantly admitted that she had never casted a tracking spell of this magnitude before, and she didn't know if it would work. Jefferson could see that the stress was getting to her.

It was time for a little distraction.

"Hey," Jefferson said, jumping to Archie's defense. "It's not our fault you dragged us both here before we got dinner."

She looked critically at their figures. "A little hunger will do the both of you some good."

Jefferson happened to think that he was in pretty good shape, and was in no need of a diet, and told her as much, which she responded to with a derisive snort. He continued with his mission of needling Regina, getting on her case now for making them miss dinner when she was taking such a long time to cast the spell anyway. "Seriously, Archie and I could have just eaten dinner first, maybe even get some takeaway for you, before coming here and you won't even need to endure me constantly pestering you with my nonsense, as you like to say."

"And what if you were to run into Rumpelstiltskin and tip him off? Or if somebody was to get suspicious at the two of you heading to my vault? No, we all have to stay together until we find the Snow Queen."

"Well then, can't you just magic us some dinner here then?" Jefferson asked, even though he knew that magic couldn't create sustenance, had learnt that from a young Regina when she had been studying dusty tomes of magical theory. He knew Regina would rise to the bait though, and he wasn't disappointed.

"If I can create food out of nowhere, there will be no more starvation in the world, you idiot." Regina said irritably. A vein ticked persistently on her temple, replacing the stress lines on her brow. When she turned her attention back to the table in front of her, she started aggressively mixing everything together, creating a viscous potion that started bubbling rapidly in the flask. Out of her sight, Jefferson winked at Archie and h gave a thumbs-up back.

They both remained silent as Regina concentrated on making the potion, and finally, the previously opaque mixture turned a clear blue, and Regina made a satisfied sound. "Alright, it's ready." She picked up a small knife on the table and spoke to Jefferson, "All that's missing now is a drop of your blood."

He pushed himself off the wall, approaching her warily. He was starting to get nervous. "You sure this is not a love potion you're making?" He tried to joke, but it was a feeble one.

Regina shrugged, the action seemingly careless but he was now close enough to see the apprehension in her face. She tried for a smile as she joked back, "For all you know, I might be making a potion to curse you." The smile faded as he continued to hover uncertainly beside her at the table though.

Jefferson held eye contact with Regina for a long moment, and it was almost as if he could see right into her mind, into her innermost thoughts. He knew what Regina was thinking right now.  _Have I won back your trust?_  They were certainly friends now, even if they annoyed the hell out of each other, but to trust Regina again, after everything she had done to screw him over… It was a huge step.

_Could he do it?_  He wondered. Regina had gone back on her word and betrayed him so many times before. But the Regina that stood in front of him now was a far cry from the Evil Queen that had left him at the mercy of the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland, and was also different from the cold-hearted Mayor that had denied him a second chance with Grace. There was vulnerability and fear in her eyes now, and she stood with a straight and rigid back, hand gripping the knife handle tightly, as if bracing herself for him to come to his senses and deem her still untrustworthy.

They had been many things over the years, he and Regina. Acquaintances, lovers, allies, enemies. They had known each other for decades, but all their history had been built on foundations of betrayal and broken trust, and it had poisoned so much of their interaction. He didn't want it to forever hang over their heads and taint the friendship they were now rebuilding too.

It was perhaps time to finally lay old demons to rest.

Flashing a brief smile at Regina, he reached for the small knife she held in her hand, coaxing her to relax her grip enough for him to hold it too. Looking into her eyes the whole time, he guided the knife, together with her hand, to his finger, nicking a small cut in it and dripping the blood directly into the potion. "I trust you," he told her quietly, and watched as relief and hope crept into her eyes. Jefferson felt relief and hope bloom within him too. Making the decision to trust Regina here felt like a new beginning, and he felt lighter like a weight was finally off his shoulders.

Archie cleared his throat, dissipating the tension that had gathered around him and Regina. Both he and Regina startled a little, as they were both so caught up in the intensity of the moment they had shared together that they had forgotten that Archie was in the room too.

Archie's eyes were suspiciously bright, like he too recognized the significance of what just happened. He gave them some time to regain their composure, for which Jefferson was very grateful for, before he asked Regina, "Did it work?"

Regina's voice was perfectly composed again. "Wait. Have some patience."

They watched as the potion continued to bubble vigorously as Jefferson's blood mixed in with the blue liquid. "Won't Rumpelstiltskin sense it? With him so sensitive to anything magic?" Archie wondered out loud.

"I've cloaked the spell so that he, and for that matter, the Snow Queen, won't sense it."

"How will you even know that it works?" Jefferson asked, after a few more minutes of watching the potion pop.

Regina gave him an impish smile, completely at odds with her previous angry mood and the raw moment they had just shared. "Oh, you'll definitely know, trust me on that."

Before Jefferson could reply, the potion gave one final loud pop, then vaporized into a purple mist, which swirled around in the air for a minute, before heading straight for his legs.

"Hey!" He yelped in surprise as he tried to jump out of the way, but the mist stayed doggedly at his heels. "You casted it wrong! It's supposed to track the Snow Queen, not me!" The mist absorbed itself into his legs, and completely not of his own volition, he lurched to the side where the entrance was, and started walking toward it. He tried to stop but couldn't. "Wait a minute, what is going on? Regina!" He yelled in panic.

"You're taking us to the Snow Queen," Regina replied nonchalantly, the glint in her eyes the only thing giving away her amusement, as she followed after him.

"You enchanted my feet?!" He sputtered in outrage.

Regina was outright smiling now. "How else does a tracking spell work?"

His feet merrily tapped out of the vault and took him into the surrounding forest as Regina and Archie followed behind, and Jefferson threw a helpless glance at Archie, who was actually chuckling at him, that little traitor. "I did not sign up for this," he said petulantly.

Regina took some pity on him. "Relax, the spell on your feet will be released once we get to the Snow Queen. Now, stop fighting the spell and walk faster, would you? We haven't got all night."

He made an effort to calm down, and it wasn't that bad once he stopped resisting, but it was still downright disconcerting, and he threw an irritated glare at Regina. "A little warning would have been nice."

"Ah… But you distracted me so much. It completely slipped my mind."

"Yeah right. You just couldn't resist playing a practical joke on me, could you?"

"Your face was indeed very amusing."

They continued bantering back and forth, as the force that was the tracking spell pulled him toward the Snow Queen, an amused and chuckling Archie bringing up the rear.

* * *

In another part of the forest, in the camp of the merry men, Robin sat alone by an open fire at the very edge of the ring of tents. It was hours after dinner, and everyone was preparing to go to sleep, except for the handful of men who were taking the first night watch. Robin had volunteered himself for the task, even though he hadn't slept a wink at all during the day due to his new job with the Sheriff. His men had argued with him that he needed more rest, but Robin stood firm and refused to budge.

It was likely that he wouldn't be able to sleep anyway, the events of the day still rattling about in his mind. Seeing Regina today was a complete shock, and he had drunk in the sight of her like a thirsty man in the desert. She looked tired, yet still completely put together in a well tailored shirt and trousers combination. The outfit was so unlike the soft feminine dresses she had worn when they had first arrived in Storybrooke. In these new unfamiliar clothes she seemed so very cold and unapproachable, and he grieved that once again she felt as though she had to wear armor and mask to face the world, and wrecked with guilt that he was the one who caused the change.

He knew too that he would spend the whole night thinking about Regina and that man named Jefferson. He knew he had no right, none at all, and since he couldn't be by her side he should set her free. But the thought of Regina with another man, whether now or in the past, made something dark and ugly clench within him, and jealousy burned fiercely in his gut.

A cold wind blew past him and he huddled closer to the fire, shivering slightly. Evelyn had told him today that the plans to move into town were almost finalized, and Robin was very grateful for that, as he didn't think his men and family could take another week out in this weather – which he now knew was unnatural.

His thoughts turned back to the events of today. He was now thinking of Regina's strange behavior and Rumpelstiltskin's cryptic words at the office. He couldn't make sense of it. It felt like he was missing a critical piece of the puzzle in the war that was brewing between Regina and the Dark One, and he didn't like knowing, especially not if Regina might be in pain, as Rumpelstiltskin's words alluded to.

A frustrated yell tore him away from his musings, and with a muttered curse, Robin quickly got to his feet and ran in its direction. When he arrived, men were already swarming around with fire torches around the supplies tent, where the door flap was wide open, and when he entered inside, he immediately noticed that some food was missing. He cursed once again. The thieves had struck again, despite the heavy guard presence both around the supplies tent and at the periphery of the camp.

Robin went outside and directed his best trackers to try and see if they can find any trace of the thieves' movements, but all their efforts were futile and led nowhere. No one saw the thieves come in or leave, and there were no signs of any disturbances or footprints.

"This is impossible. It's like they were using magic!" Little John yelled in frustration, kicking over a stool at the same time.

Several things became very clear to Robin right at that moment.

It was indeed impossible that thieves could have made it past them so many times, as someone would have to have noticed them eventually. It was impossible that they left no traces, as people did not just vanish into thin air like this. Not even the stealthiest thief could manage a feat such as this – stealing from a heavily guarded camp night after night.

Except for thieves that had magic as their accomplice.

And the only magic practitioner in Storybrooke that would have to resort to stealing food would be the Snow Queen.

Grabbing a fire torch from one of his men, he inspected the crime scene more carefully. Now he wasn't looking for movement tracks and possible enter/escape routes, but for anything that looked unusual in the first place. On a hunch, he brought the fire torch down close to the layer of ice on the ground, and it turned out that his gut instinct was right. The thin layer of frost on the grass melted into water as the flame drew near, all except for tiny patches of ice that refused to melt, leaving an alternating pattern of large spots and small points that looked suspiciously like footprints from someone wearing high heels.

He followed the frozen footprints all the way to the periphery of the camp, past the fire where he had earlier sat beside as a cold wind had blown past him.

"Little John!" He yelled. "Gather together some of the men, and make sure they are armed. I think I may have found a way to track down our elusive thief."

The hunt for the Snow Queen was on.


End file.
